Love Makes A Family
by somethingbrave
Summary: REWRITE FROM WHEN TWO FAMILIES COLLIDE: A Mitchsen AU in which Beca is the mother of two kids and Aubrey is Chloe's big sister and legal guardian. What happens when two families become one?
1. Prologue

**A/n:** This is a different kind of story. Aubrey and Beca are dating, but there's a kick:

Aubrey is the legal guardian of her half-sister, Chloe Beale and Beca is the mother to Emily Mitchell (or Emily Junk like in the second PP movie, but not in this story) and an OC son named Greyson Mitchell.

I hope to make sense of everything in this intro chapter.

Rated T for now, may change later.

 **Disclaimer:** I had this written on another account and I couldn't remember the login info, but wanted to get back to it and fixed some problems in it. On my other account it's called _When Two Families Collide_ , I like this title better.

Oh, and I also don't own Pitch Perfect.

* * *

Prologue

Beca Mitchell had two amazing kids:

21-year-old, Emily Mitchell was a high school graduate with an amazing singer-songwriter career on the rise. Sure, Beca handed her oldest child the deal at the record company that she spent years building from the ground up. But, the girl didn't seem to mind, she knew she had to start somewhere and why not start at a place where she knew that she knew that she was believed in. That she could freely be herself as she built a career. A month before she graduated, she had expressed interest in becoming a solo artist and Beca was more than willing to accommodate in helping her daughter be the best she could be.

Emily had a 17-year-old brother named Greyson Mitchell, he was commonly referred to by both the Mitchell women as The Brainiac because he has the brain of a well-developed engineer in the body of a teenager. He was a senior at John Adams Preparatory Academy where Emily graduated from and on his way in becoming an aerospace engineer.

 _"I want to be sure that no other aircraft in the sky falls to the ground. I want kids to meet their fathers." He said to Beca while they were cuddling on the hammock outside one night making Beca cry._

Beca had married a pilot with the same last name as her right out of Barden. She and James Mitchell happened to be best friends growing up, bonded over having the same last name, and fell in love somewhere during their junior year at Barden. They got married had two kids and then James died in a plane crash right before Greyson was born.

Beca had never really found love after that. Well not until an old, familiar face from her Barden Bella days showed back up in her life as her children's headmaster at John Adams Prep after a miscommunication about why on the anniversary of her late husband's death on why she didn't send her kids to school that day.

* * *

Aubrey Posen was the legal guardian of her half-sister, Chloe Beale upon both of their parents' death when the younger girl was 9 years old.

Eight years later, Chloe was smart and on her way to becoming the greatest doctor that Aubrey would ever see. She was at the top of her class academically and always had her head in a book. Sometimes Aubrey would find herself pulling her sister away from a textbook to cuddle with her on the couch while watching a movie or some tv show just to get her to relax.

Aubrey tried to keep her love life away from her now, 17-year-old, sister because she didn't want her to get too attached, but is second guessing it when she starts dating the mother of two of the students that go to the school that she's the headmaster at and the mother of her sister's guy best friend.

Love and Aubrey Posen never really mixed at least not until Beca Mitchell showed back up in her life.

Beca made her feel alive in ways that she never knew that she could. The music producer made the headmaster feel beautiful, sexy, and most importantly, safe. Aubrey felt like this was it. And after two years of working around both of their schedules and the three kids' schedules, enough was enough. They bit the bullet and were going to have the two families collide into one.

* * *

"So wait," Emily said coming into the kitchen where Beca was frantically rushing around making sure dinner is done, "we finally get to meet this Aubrey person and her sister?"

Beca inwardly chuckled thinking about how the two already knew both Aubrey and Chloe and it might be hell when they find that out.

"Yeah," Beca said, "Aubrey and I are getting pretty serious and we want to make sure everything works out with the three of you."

"Oh," was all Emily said.

Beca turned to her daughter and softly said, "Look, I'm not saying that you have to like her, but it would mean the world to me if you'd give her a chance."

"Of course, mom." The girl said earning a kiss from Beca. "It's just you've been dating for like two years, why the long wait for this?"

"We just wanted to make sure that this is something that we wanted to go somewhere without you, your brother, and her sister getting too attached." Beca said running a hand through wavy brunette hair.

"Okay," Emily said. She loves the softer side of her mom. She remembered the time where her mom was like this all the time when her dad was alive. "You'll have to excuse both me and the brother for being protective of you."

Beca kissed Emily's forehead, "Wouldn't expect anything less, my love." The music producer said. She then changed the subject, "How's that single coming along?"

Emily's face lit up, "Good!" She said. "Hoping to have it done soon."

* * *

"Bree, why are we doing this?" Chloe asked. "I have a lot of homework to do."

"I want to bring Beca home when you're home sometimes." Aubrey said. Chloe made a face, "Not to have sex, weirdo. Just to cuddle on the couch and watch tv or a movie or something. And besides, Beca and I are talking about moving in together soon. We want to make sure that you get along with her son and her daughter will be around sometimes too. Can you forget about studying for one night please?"

Chloe sighed, "Bree," she said.

"You're stressing yourself out honey." Aubrey said putting her hand on her sister's leg as she continued driving.

"I'm fine." Chloe said. "You know, Greyson is much more stressed out than I am. He's trying to get into MIT."

Aubrey held in her chuckle, knowing that the boy was going to be there tonight. Why both Aubrey and Beca hadn't told the kids that they were dating was only because Beca didn't know how her kids were going to react with her dating their k-12 headmaster.

Aubrey pulled into the long driveway up to the Mitchell residence and parked behind what later they would find out is Greyson's jeep and the two got out, "Please just give Beca and her kids a chance. It would mean a lot to me."

"Okay," Chloe said getting out of the car.

Aubrey met her on the other side and held her close, "I love you, Chlo."

"I love you too, Bree." Chloe responded as a kiss went on her forehead.

The two then went to the front door and rang the doorbell, Beca's face was the first thing they saw.

"Hi beautiful," Beca said to Aubrey, leaning in for a hello kiss. As they pulled back, "You must be Chloe."

"Hi," Chloe said a little nervous.

"Come in, I've got both of the kids in the kitchen." Beca said. As they walked a little, "You ready?" She whispered in Aubrey's ear.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Aubrey whispered back grabbing Beca's hand.

As they entered the kitchen, a deep voice was heard, "Chloe?"

"Greyson?" Chloe said.

And then...

"Headmaster Posen?" Two voices this time that came from the Mitchell kids' mouths.

"Hi," Aubrey said.

"Mom," Emily then said. "Explain this."

"Explain what love?" Beca asked.

"I think what she's trying to say is, explain why you've been sleeping with my current headmaster, Emily's former headmaster, and my best friend's older sister for the last two years and this is the first time we've heard about it?" Greyson took over for his older sister.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Chloe asked softly, a little hurt. They shared everything with each other, why was this different?

"Okay," Beca said, "let's sit down over dinner and talk about everything."

The five of them sat down at the table in the kitchen, the three kids a little hurt that the couple kept it from them for so long and all wanted an explanation. For the first five minutes, it was quiet, as they dished up food, and started eating in silence.

"We would've understood," Emily finally said. "We get that you have a love life."

"It wouldn't have been weird?" Beca asked. "Me dating your headmaster?"

"Don't get us wrong, it's weird." Greyson said. "But, we just want you to be happy, mom. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy before."

"Yeah, the last time I saw you this happy was with daddy." Emily said looking down knowing that talking about the man was still hard for Beca to talk about. Even more than seventeen years later.

"What about you, sweetheart?" Aubrey asked Chloe. Chloe pushed her food around her plate, Aubrey put her hand on her free hand and tried to squeeze it. "Chloe..."

"We always share stuff with each other." Chloe said, pulling her hand back, hurt evident in her voice.

"Sweetheart," Aubrey tried again.

"I mean, I get it, but it still hurts." Chloe said.

"I'm sorry," Aubrey whispered to her sister.

Chloe looked up from her plate to her sister and then to Beca who had a soft, understanding smile on her face. Then Chloe's eyes drifted to her best friend and his sister. Then her eyes stayed on Greyson remembering the day they became friends.

 _It was the day after Chloe lost her mom and her dad and Aubrey lost her mom. It was Aubrey's first year as headmaster and all Chloe wanted to do that day was cry and Greyson, who was brand new to the school having moved from New York City to Los Angeles over the summer and didn't have friends, he saw Chloe sitting alone and came and sat across from her._

 _"Are you okay?" A nine year old, Greyson asked a nine year old Chloe. Chloe shook her head fervently. "Okay, well if you want to talk about it, I'll listen and if you don't you can have my chocolate chip cookies that my mom made for me."_

 _Chloe looked up, tears evident in her eyes, and she asked softly, "You'd really give me your cookies?"_

 _Greyson shrugged, like it was no big deal, "I mean, yeah, you're always smiling and stuff, and I'd do anything to make you smile."_

 _"Don't you want your cookies?" Chloe asked._

 _"Not if giving them to you makes you happy." Greyson responded._

 _"I don't even know you," Chloe said. "Are you new here?"_

 _"Uh yeah," Greyson said. "I just moved here with my big sister and mom from New York. I'm Greyson, by the way."_

 _"Chloe." She said as the boy handed her a cookie. "My mom and dad died." Chloe then said after a few moments._

 _"I'm sorry," Greyson said. "That sucks. My dad died before I was born."_

 _"Really?" Chloe asked._

 _He nodded, "I never got to meet him, it must hurt worse since you knew your mom and dad."_

 _"Yeah," Chloe said._

 _"I'd like to be a friend of yours if that's cool," Greyson said. "I don't have any here."_

 _"I'd like that," Chloe said._

And, that's how their friendship started and after awhile they became best friends. Chloe then realized that she should say something, so she swallowed and said, "It's okay. Like they said, it's weird, but nothing I can't get used to."

"I think we have some chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar," Greyson said knowing that she was thinking about how they met.

The other three people in the room gave him a weird look and Chloe smiled, it was always how he cheered her up in her friendship. "Thanks Grey." She said with a soft smile. Then looked over at the other three and said, "He introduced himself to me the day after mom and dad died and then gave me his cookies."

"Really?" Beca asked her son.

"She looked like she needed a friend and some of your homemade chocolate chip cookies." Greyson said with a shrug.

"You're a good friend, my love." Beca said softly.

After a few more minutes of eating, Aubrey then asked, "So are we all good?"

"Yeah," the kids said with a mouth full of food.

"I want no special treatment when it comes to school though." Greyson said to Aubrey.

"Deal." Aubrey said.

* * *

"So if my mom marries your sister, that would make you my aunt." Greyson said as the two of them sat out back with their feet in the pool.

"Ew." Chloe said. "I don't want to be your aunt."

Greyson chuckled, "So my mom and your sister." He said wrapping a loose arm around his best friend. "Didn't see that coming."

Chloe chuckled placing her head on his shoulder, "Me either." She said.

Their relationship was completely platonic, but from the outside looking in it'd look like they might be together. Chloe came to him when she was having trouble with a boy and Greyson came to her when he needed advice on how to be a gentleman. And although, Greyson took her to their junior prom the year prior, it was nothing, but a solid friendship between these two.

"So, you ready to be housemates?" He asked knowing that Aubrey and Beca had talked about the two of them moving into the Mitchell house.

"Yeah, you ready to take me and my sister back and forth to school?" She asked knowing that they talked about how he and the sisters would carpool into John Adams Prep every morning.

"As long as you make me that coffee that you always make me, hell yeah." Greyson said.

"Well, Aubrey always makes you that coffee because she knows you like it." Chloe admitted.

"Really?" Greyson said.

"Yeah," Chloe said. "She wants you to relax a little bit. MIT is going to kill you if you don't."

"Says the girl who is working just as hard to get into Harvard." Greyson said.

"Okay, I know," Chloe said. "But, Aubrey might actually kill us if we don't take a breather."

A few minutes of silence fell upon the friends before Greyson said, "I started my application to MIT this evening."

"Greyson..." Chloe tried to chastise.

"C'mon, you're telling me that you haven't started your application to Harvard?" He said not believing that his best friend hasn't.

"I have, but I haven't told Aubrey yet." She said. "She might freak out."

"Why? You've been talking about Harvard for as long as I've known you." Greyson said.

"Because it's like she's too afraid to lose me." Chloe said looking back through the window in the living room where Aubrey was curled into Beca as they watched the evening news together.

Greyson saw where she was looking and chuckled, "It's like they're an old married couple already."

"Yeah," Chloe said looking at them. How comfortable Aubrey was with Beca. How confident she was.

"What's wrong, Chlo?" Greyson asked.

"Nothing," Chloe lied.

"C'mon, I know you better than you do sometimes." He said. "Talk to me."

"Tom broke up with me today," she said.

"What? Why?" Greyson asked. He wasn't a fan of the boy or the on again off again relationship that Chloe allowed to go on, but he still was Chloe's shoulder to cry on when things got bad.

"I dunno," Chloe said. "He didn't really say."

"C'mon," Greyson said getting up and reaching out his hand.

"Where are we going?" Chloe asked.

"For a drive, I'll explain it to my mom and your sister. Let's just go." He said.

"Okay," she got out.

* * *

"We're going for a drive, be back in an hour." Greyson said coming into the kitchen.

"Is everything okay?" Beca asked as the two came into the living room where she was playing with blonde hair that came from her girlfriend.

Aubrey took one look at Chloe and immediately knew what was going on, "Tom broke up with you." She said more as a statement than a question. Chloe nodded her head. Aubrey then looked up at Greyson and said, "Do whatever you do to make her feel better. We're crashing here tonight anyway."

"Cool," Greyson said leaning down to kiss Beca's forehead, "We'll stop by your guys' apartment to pick up her uniform for school tomorrow. Do you need anything?" He asked standing up straighter.

"No, I have a set of work clothes here." Aubrey said, earning a look from both Greyson and Chloe. "What? Sometimes I have to sneak out early in the morning and I go straight to campus." Greyson made a face, "What?"

"You've slept here when I've been here?" The boy asked incredulously then looking over to his mother.

"When hooligans like you cause trouble for her at school and she has a bad day, then yes, she sneaks into the house while you're in your room and sneaks out before you're up in the morning." Beca answered.

"I don't cause trouble at school though." He pointed out.

"Not the point, go." Beca pointed. "Take care of your best friend."

He fake saluted her as Aubrey motioned for Chloe to come to her. Chloe bent down to give Aubrey a hug. "When you come back, we'll cuddle, okay?" The blonde said.

"Okay," Chloe said.

"I love you." Aubrey said softly.

"I love you too," Chloe responded.

As the two walked off, Beca called, "Bring us back froyo too!"

"Text me what you want!" Greyson said grabbing his keys slipping on flip flops.

"Love you!" Beca called out.

"Love you too, Ma!" He said.

They heard the door shut and then Beca said, "What does Chloe see in this Tom guy?"

"I'm not sure," Aubrey said putting her head on Beca's chest.

"I wish that girl would gain some self-confidence." Beca said.

"She didn't have the greatest role model growing up." Aubrey said.

"Hey," Beca said, "you're beautiful."

"You're the only one that makes me feel that way." Aubrey admitted.

"You are beautiful, my love." Beca said kissing Aubrey.

They were in a make out session before they heard someone clear their throat, the couple looked up and saw Emily standing there, "So is it cool if I got hang out with Benji now?"

"Yeah," Beca said. "Do you want to take him and Jesse some food?"

"Already ahead of you," Emily said. "Sit and make out with your girlfriend."

Beca stuck her tongue out at her oldest daughter as the girl came over to kiss her forehead goodbye.

As Emily left with food for her boyfriend and their roommate, Aubrey said, "They both kiss your forehead goodbye."

"Mmmhmm." Beca said going back to hold Aubrey close.

"Why?" Aubrey asked.

Beca took a deep breath and roughly rubbed her face with her free hand, "When James died, he and I were arguing about how he was working a lot and was going to miss Greyson's birth, and he got up early the next morning and we didn't even kiss goodbye. So when I got the call that it was his airplane that went down, I felt 100x more guilty than when he left. So I always have the kids kiss me goodbye even if I'm mad at them and/or vise versa."

"Wow," Aubrey said.

"Yeah," Beca said. "I know that James knew I loved him, but it's still just hard, you know?"

Aubrey looked up to see the tears in her girlfriend's eyes, the school administrator then quickly straddled the music producer's waist and kissed her softly and purposefully.

"You're so harsh with the world," Aubrey said holding Beca's face in her hands. "But for your family, for me, hell even for Chloe, you're the softest person I've ever met."

"I'd like to think of you and Chloe as family." Beca said softly. "I wanna spend the rest of my life with you baby."

"Is this a proposal?" Aubrey said raising an eyebrow.

Beca sighed, "Not yet." She said running one of her hand's through her own hair.

"Yet?" Aubrey asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't ruin things for me Posen. I have everything thought out." Beca said.

"Yeah?" Aubrey asked feeling special.

"It was all going to be a surprise, but yes." Beca said.

"I love you," Aubrey said.

"I love you too," Beca said kissing her, continuing the make out session that Emily interrupted.

* * *

The next morning was a preview to what was to come when Aubrey and Chloe moved in.

"Ma!" Greyson called from the second floor.

"Yeeesss?" Beca drew out knowing what was coming.

"Where's my uniform tie?" Greyson said.

"Did you check your car?" Beca said.

"Yes," came back a tone that meant, 'are we really having this conversation again?'

"Your bedroom?" Beca said picking the tie off the counter where she had placed it when she found it on the ground near the door when she went out to get the newspaper.

Aubrey and Chloe chuckle at this, the clearly stressed out boy, had no idea that his mother was playing him.

"All over," he said.

"Baby, I have it in my hands right now." Beca finally said. "C'mere, let mommy put it on for you."

Grumbles could be heard out of Greyson as he walked into the kitchen, Aubrey decided to add fuel to whatever fire was about to be set by asking, "Where's your blazer?"

He grumbles again and then Chloe said as he walked back upstairs to get his blazer, "I thought he was a morning person."

Beca chuckled, "No, Emily is the only morning person in the Mitchell family." She said.

"Ma!" He yelled.

"On the couch, my love!" She called back. "He's really stressed out," Beca said softly.

"Uh huh," Aubrey said coming behind the woman. "So is this one," Aubrey said gesturing to Chloe with her head.

Beca looked over at the girl who was focused on notes for her calculus class. Her shoulders tense, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and her bottom lip between her teeth. The music producer's eyes widened.

Oh boy. She thought. We're in for a long ride.

* * *

 **End note:** I know this isn't the most ideal story, but I really hope you find it somewhere to stick around. And I will most definitely be back this time, guys. I have a good idea of where I'm taking these five people now and I _will_ remember my login info this time around. Please hang tight with me.


	2. One

**A/n:** Okay to clear up some things, Aubrey's mom had her when she was really young and then got married and had Chloe in her mid-30s. Making both Aubrey and Beca in their late 30s/early 40s.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Beca was moving the last box into the house, she was helping get her girlfriend and girlfriend's sister settled in because she didn't want to _not_ wake up next to the headmaster and she knew that her son and her girlfriend's sister get along a lot better than she originally thought. The music producer loved that their two families were coming into one. She walked into what used to be her home office, but turned into Chloe's room to Greyson assembling her desk, seeing that her son had already assembled her bookshelf and bed. She leaned against the door and watched how the relationship between her son and her girlfriend's sister worked.

"Do you need help?" Chloe asked softly.

"No, I'm good." He said. "It's almost done."

"If it falls apart, I'm blaming you entirely." Chloe said. "I don't know if I trust your assembling skills."

Greyson looked up from what he was doing, "Excuse you." He said with a face that looked like Beca's when she was jokingly annoyed.

Chloe laughed and messed up his hair, "You know I love you, Grey." She said as she placed books on her bookshelf.

Beca then came in and placed the last box on the floor, "Here's your last box, Chloe." She said.

Chloe looked up, "Oh, thank you, Beca." She said. "I really appreciate all your help."

"What about mine?" Came from the teenager on the floor.

"We'll see if it falls apart on me," Chloe jokingly said back.

Beca smiled, "Well, we're ordering take-out tonight, so I'll be back up when it's here." She said. "I need to help your sister in our room."

The music producer walked out of Chloe's room which wasn't far from her and Aubrey's room where she saw her girlfriend on the ground, crying softly. The brunette immediately rushed over to the blonde, pulling the distraught woman into her lap, rocking her back and forth, not daring to ask her what was wrong, even if she was _dying_ to know.

Beca then saw that there was a picture frame in Aubrey's lap, the music producer gently took it out, looking at it. In the picture, there was a couple in a suit and wedding dress with a younger looking Aubrey standing next to them.

"That's my mom," Aubrey managed to get out. "She was 15 when she had me, she raised me as a single parent, started dating Chloe's dad after I went off to college. They got married when I was 20."

"Did you like Chloe's dad?" Beca asked softly, still holding the woman close.

Aubrey nodded, "He was the dad that I didn't know that I ever needed." She said. "He also gave me the best little sister I could ever ask for." The headmaster picked up the last family picture of the four. Aubrey, a little older, and a 9-year-old Chloe, it was one of those pictures that she remembered getting after Emily was born with her, James, and their daughter. "This was the last family picture ever taken. This was about a month before they died."

"You never really talk about what happened to them," Beca said softly. "You don't have to, but I am kind of wondering."

Aubrey took a deep breath, "They were on their way to pick Chloe up from school," she began, "the girl was kinda mad at them for always working, so they took the afternoon off, and were going to surprise her. They were hit head on by a drunk driver." Aubrey wiped some tears from her eyes and took a shaky deep breath, "It was my first year as headmaster and I had just gotten out of a bad relationship, but I _knew_ I couldn't put Chloe in the foster care system. I had to finish what they started. That's what they would've wanted and every single time I look at her, I see the both of them in her and I try to push it aside because I love my little sister, but I miss my mom and her dad so _fucking_ much. I thought it would get easier to cope, but then I look at these two pictures and I basically lose my shit." Aubrey buried her face in the crook of Beca's neck, "I'm sorry for getting emotional."

"Don't apologize," Beca whispered. "I love you and I want to know how I can be there for you through this, the best I can."

"The anniversary of their death is coming up," Aubrey said. "You think you could drive me and Chlo to the cemetery? I don't think I can drive us both again. I struggle every year."

Beca nodded and kissed Aubrey's temple, "Of course, my love." She said softly. "Whatever you two need. I'm here baby."

"Don't let me push you away again," the headmaster said, knowing that she had in the two previous years.

"I won't," Beca said. "That I promise you."

The two sat there for awhile in silence, the music producer rocking the headmaster back and forth while kissing her head every so often. What they didn't know is that Chloe was standing outside the open door, hiding a little. She had never knew that her parents how her parents died. The headmaster always sugarcoated it by saying they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and never went further than that. The redhead had tears in her eyes and began to feel angry that her sister would share the full story with her girlfriend, but not her.

* * *

In the days following, Chloe became really withdrawn, she only really talked to Greyson. Aubrey passed it off as she was grieving their parents' deaths, like she did every year, but this time felt different for the blonde. She didn't push it, she knew that the redhead would come to her eventually, so she waited it out.

Aubrey and Beca were making out on the couch one evening when they heard the front door abruptly open and then slam shut. Aubrey sighed as she rested her forehead against Beca's, "Who do you think that is?" Aubrey asked her girlfriend.

"Probably Em," Beca said, "when she and Benji are arguing, she gets all moody and stays here for a bit until they make up."

The music producer went back to kissing the headmaster when they heard something fall over in the kitchen and a loud groan. It wasn't Emily or Greyson, it was Chloe. Aubrey pulled away for a moment with her arms still wrapped around Beca's neck, "You okay, Chlo?" She called to her sister.

"Fine," Chloe grunted back. Before muttering out a, "Oh Jesus _fucking_ Christ."

Aubrey looked at her girlfriend and whispered, "I'll go handle her. She's been a bit moody lately." The blonde got up and moved to the kitchen to see what was going on with her sister and saw that she was soaked from the rain pouring outside. "Woah, what happened to you?"

Chloe chuckled, "I'm fine, Aubrey. Don't worry about it." The redhead said.

Except, Aubrey _did_ worry about it, because her sister never called her anything, but Bree and the occasional sissy when she needed comfort. This Chloe is a version she's never dealt with before.

"Are you sure?" Aubrey asked. "Do you need to-"

"I said I was _fine_ ," Chloe snapped back. "I'm going to go change."

Chloe walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, leaving Aubrey standing there speechless and confused, Beca came behind her and wrapped her arms around the headmaster's waist.

"What's her deal?" Beca asked, kissing the back of Aubrey's neck.

"I have no idea," Aubrey said turning in her girlfriend's arms, "she's been really moody lately. And that's not usual from her."

"Maybe we can get Grey to talk to her. He always seems like he can get through to her." Beca said, burying her face into Aubrey's neck. "I love you, Bree."

"I love you too, Bec." Aubrey said as the brunette placed heated kisses up her neck.

* * *

Greyson knocked on Chloe's door after dinner that night, being told by his mother and Aubrey that he had to get to the bottom to why Chloe was being so weird. The door immediately opened harshly, making Greyson raise and eyebrow, he held up a carton of Chloe's favorite ice cream and two spoons and she let him into her room.

"You alright, Beale?" He asked as they sat down in the two bean bag chairs that Chloe had in her room. "Because I've been told not to leave here until we get to the bottom of why you're choosing _now_ to be a moody teenager."

Chloe sighed, she _knew_ that her sister sent her best friend up here to talk to her about what's going on, she had been shutting the blonde out longer than usual during this time of the year. She saw the concern in her best friend's eyes as he handed her ice cream. She dug into the ice cream and said, "I overheard a conversation Aubrey was having with your mom about- about my parents."

Greyson's eyes went wide with his eyebrows in his hairline, "What about them?" He asked softly.

"How they _really_ died." She said. "Not the sugarcoated version." She sighed and scooped some ice cream out, "And it's frustrating because she's always trying to protect me and I _hate_ it. I'm 17, for christ's sake. Give me the real reason."

"She's your big sister," Greyson said. "She's always gonna wanna protect you. Hell, Emily is the same way with me."

"A drunk driver hit my parents," Chloe got out before sobbing, "a _drunk driver._ " She got out again before the teenage boy reached out to hold her close to him.

Greyson had gotten so used to consoling Chloe over the years, whether it be about her parents, Tom, or some of reason. Outside of Aubrey, _he_ was the one that she went to for comfort. The young man considered it an honor that he would never take for granted.

After awhile of the redhead crying, Greyson said, "You should talk to Aubrey. She has every right to know."

"I feel like I'll just end up yelling at her and I'll never forgive myself if I do." The girl said.

"Why's that?" Greyson asked as the redhead's head stayed on his chest, he began stroking fingers in her hair.

"She's given so much up for me," Chloe whispered after a moment. "I can't just yell at her."

"I think she'd understand," Greyson said. "She's pretty worried about you, so is my mom."

"I'll talk with her," Chloe said eventually, "but for now, can you just hold me?"

"Of course, Chlo," Greyson said. "I love you."

"I love you too, Grey." She said. "Thanks for being my best friend."

"To be completely honest," Greyson said, "I wouldn't want anyone else to hold that title in my life. Just you, only you."

He adjusted her so that he could be more comfortable. They laid there, Greyson holding Chloe, unsure how else to comfort the girl. Grateful that he had her in his life.

* * *

The next day at lunch, Greyson had encouraged Chloe to spend it with Aubrey. So, the redhead was currently standing in front of her sister's office door before she gained up enough courage to knock, and when she did, she heard a muffled, "Come in." Chloe opened the door with a shaky hand and saw that her sister was alone eating lunch, "Oh hey, Chlo, what's up?"

"May- may I talk to you?" Chloe asked. "I have some stuff that I need to get off my chest. Greyson encouraged me to come."

Aubrey nodded, "Of course honey," the headmaster responded. "Come in, shut the door." Chloe came in and shut the door behind her, Aubrey gestured that they should move to the couch in her office, the blonde had a feeling that she would be holding Chloe close by the end of the conversation, "Have you eaten yet?" Aubrey asked, Chloe shook her head and pulled out the lunch that Beca had made her that morning. Chloe opened it and saw a note inside, she knew Greyson always got these, and she found it heartwarming that the music producer thought about putting one in hers. _"Hey Chlo,"_ it read, _"I know you have a lot of stuff going on in your head right now, but I really do hope you're having a good day."_ Tears dwelled in Chloe's eyes, "Yeah, she leaves me those little notes in my lunch too." Aubrey said. "Sooo," she then changed the subject, "what did you want to talk about?"

Chloe took a deep breath before pulling out the sandwich and taking a bite, "I overheard a conversation that you and Beca were having about mom and dad." She began not looking up at her big sister's eyes, "I was walking to use the bathroom and I heard you crying and went to check on you and then you went into how they died." She scooted farther away from the headmaster, "I didn't want to eavesdrop that wasn't my attention, but you rarely ever let out emotion that leads to crying, so I was- I was _worried_." Aubrey looked at how small her sister looked and reached out to touch her shoulder, Chloe looked at the hand and then the blonde's face, it wore a supportive, protective smile, and even a nod of encouragement to move forward, it made Chloe jump up, angry that her sister was so accepting to the situation, "And then- and then, you were telling Beca how our parents died. The truth. _Beca._ Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

Aubrey's head hung, "In my defense, I did tell the truth, just not the full truth." She said. "Because in my eyes, you'll always be that baby girl that mom placed in my arms and I want to protect you from the horrors of the world."

"I'm 17, Aubrey." Chloe spat out. "I don't deserve half truths."

Aubrey nodded, "Of course, love, but I can't even get myself to open up to Beca about it, minus that small story you heard. It's hard for me," the blonde said. "Every single time I look at you, I think about how you could've had a better life, but an alcoholic took that away from you."

"I have a great life," Chloe said. "I have everything that I need. I just- ever since you and Beca have gotten together, I feel like you aren't telling me the honest truth. I need the honest truth, Bree." Her voice broken, "I need- I need-"

Aubrey jumped up to hug her sister tight, "Of course, love. Of course, from now on, the 100% honest truth. I love you, Chlo."

Chloe began crying into her sister's chest, Aubrey had gotten them to sit back down on the couch where she held her sister for the rest of the redhead's lunch period.

* * *

A few days later, Greyson drove Aubrey and Chloe to their parents' gravesite with Beca in the backseat, the blonde cuddled into her. Chloe sitting in the passenger's seat with tears in her eyes. It was quiet minus the radio and the occasional blinker. When they pulled up, Chloe gave vague directions to Greyson on where the gravesite was and when they pulled up to it, both Greyson and Beca opted to stay in the car, to give the sisters space to be with their parents.

"I'm just gonna make my mom feel uncomfortable by playing all the songs that she's either sung in or produced," Greyson said making Beca roll her eyes. "Take your time."

"Yeah," Beca chimed in, "we'll go get your guys' favorite dinner afterwards."

The sisters got out of Greyson's jeep and Chloe immediately reached for Aubrey's hand, which she clung to. The sisters made their way to the grave. They stood there for awhile in silence. "I was mad at them," Chloe finally said. "Really mad and as I got older, I realized how selfish I was. They were giving me the best life possible and I was mad because I only saw them at breakfast and dinner. If I could go back and have just one more moment with them," the redhead let the statement hang there for a moment, "I'd tell them how much I love them and not yell at them for missing a soccer game that in reality didn't mean much." She then turned to Aubrey, "I'm sorry for shutting you out."

Aubrey wrapped her arm around her sister as the redhead buried her face into the blonde's side, "I remember getting that phone call that they were hit. I knew they were on their way to get you because they had called me to tell me that they were going to pull you out earlier to spend some much needed quality time with you and then after an hour passed I began to worry," Aubrey wiped a tear away with their free hand. "Then when the police showed up a couple of hours later to tell me-" she cleared her throat, "to tell me that my mom and your dad were hit, I lost all professionalism and fell to my knees and cried. I didn't know how I was going to break the news to you."

Chloe looked at the grave for awhile before saying, "We still have each other at least."

Aubrey kissed the top of Chloe's head, "Always, we'll always have each other." She said.

* * *

A couple of days later, Chloe was sitting at the counter going over some calculus notes when Emily walked into the kitchen to get water, "Hey Chloe." The musician said.

"Hey Emily," she responded not looking up from her notes.

Emily leaned over to see what Chloe was studying, "Calculus?" She then asked.

"Mhm," Chloe said focused on her notes.

Emily sighed, she wanted to spend some time with the girl because she was her baby brother's best friend and her mom's girlfriend's sister. So, you know, _family._ Chloe was so engrossed in her notes that Emily cleared her throat again, making the high school student's head pop up, "I, uh, I was wondering if you and I could hang out and get to know each other." She said making Chloe give her a weird look, "I mean, you're my brother's best friend and my mom's girlfriend's sister, so that practically makes you family. And I don't know you and would like to get to know you."

Chloe nodded understandingly and flipped her textbook closed and placed everything on top of each other, "What do you wanna do?" She asked, not knowing if they had anything in common.

"I figured we could just hang out in my room, listen to some music, and talk." Emily said with a shrug.

Chloe smiled, "I can do that." She said.

Emily smiled as Chloe gathered up her stuff to put in her room before going into the brunette's room. She had always wanted to get to know her best friend's older sister, but never knew how she would go about doing that. They stayed in Emily's room until dinner and got to know each other and found out that they had quite a lot in common. They both didn't understand why Greyson only really talked to the redhead if he didn't have a thing for them, they both had somewhat of a small obsession with Beyoncé (but who didn't was both of their responses), they both agreed with Greyson that Chloe being their aunt was weird, but they both loved how happy Aubrey and Beca made each other. Emily maybe a musician/songwriter/artist and Chloe maybe headed to medical school to become a doctor, but they started their own familyship as the musician called it.

 _"Yeah,"_ Chloe thought as she went to bed that night, _"she could get used to living in the Mitchell household."_

* * *

 **End note:** Happy new year everybody!

Things are just getting started with this story and their about to be intense. Some major Mitchsen fluff is coming your way.


	3. Two

**A/n:** You want Mitchsen fluff? I'm here to give you Mitchsen fluff... or I'll try and fail because my life is full of angst and I feel the need to put this family through hell.

It's what I'm calling, _Mitchsen Fluff-ish_ , you're welcome?

Oh and **trigger warning** for the next several chapters: there will be violence and death in them. Nothing too completely graphic, but enough for a warning, I'm sorry in advance. I know this is early in the story, but it's gonna set up somethings for the rest of the story. I _promise._

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Aubrey woke up on a Thursday morning to Beca spooning her. Both she and Chloe had been living in the Mitchell household for about a month at this point and they both loved every minute of it. Chloe loved being able to hang out with Greyson whenever she wanted and Aubrey loved waking up in Beca's arms. The four living in the house full time have gotten into a routine on a school morning. Aubrey would lie in Beca's arms until the music producer woke up, the couple would cuddle and make out for about a half an hour until they head the two teenagers moving about to get ready for school, then Beca would get up and make the three breakfast as Aubrey got ready for work. Both Chloe and Greyson would come down fully ready for school and pour a cup of coffee into a mug to have with breakfast and a to-go mug for school. Aubrey would come down a few minutes later and do the same before the family of four sat and had breakfast together. Emily would join them on Sundays as both Aubrey and Beca have claimed that day as a family day.

That Thursday morning was no different, Aubrey woke up in the arms of her girlfriend, she turned in her arms and stared at the sleeping brunette's face. She remembered so fondly at the moment that this beautiful, caring woman came back into her life. She hadn't thought that the Beca Mitchell that enrolled both Emily and Greyson Mitchell in at John Adams Prep was _the_ Beca Mitchell who had stolen her heart all those years ago at Barden, but when the music producer walked into her office to apologize for not sending her kids to school on the anniversary of her late husband's death, she couldn't be anymore forgiving.

 _"Aubrey?" Her assistant Sarah said. "I have the mother of Emily and Greyson Mitchell here."_

 _Aubrey nodded not looking up from her computer, "Send her in, please." She responded._

 _A few moments later, Aubrey still typing something out on her computer, she head someone come in, "Good morning, Headmaster- wait, Aubrey?" The voice said._

 _Aubrey knew that voice, she couldn't forget that voice, she looked from her computer to the mother standing in her office and said, "Oh my god, Beca, hi."_

 _"I had no idea that you were my kids' headmaster. I thought there was more than one Aubrey Posen in the world." Beca said sitting down._

 _"And I thought there was more than one Beca Mitchell," Aubrey said with a soft smile, "hi. How are you?"_

 _"I'm okay," Beca said. "I own my own company now."_

 _"Yeah, I think I saw that on the Bella's facebook group page." Aubrey said, not really keeping up with social media stuff. "How's James?"_

 _Beca's head fell, thinking of her late husband, "Uh well, funny you should ask," the music producer scratched the back of her neck, "he passed away 15 years ago yesterday. His plane went down, he didn't make it. It's why I didn't have Greyson come to school. I needed him close, Emily too. Emily knew him, she was a daddy's girl. He passed away about a month before Greyson was born."_

 _Aubrey face softened at the news, "I'm so sorry, Beca." She said. "I completely understand, we'll use it as one of his excused absences for the year."_

 _"Thank you, Bree." Beca said. "I really appreciate your understanding."_

 _"He was one hell of a guy," Aubrey said. "I'm now so sad that the world lost him."_

 _There was a peaceful silence between the two Bellas. They had been through a lot separately since the last time they talked, but it felt peaceful. Aubrey was looking lovingly at how awkward Beca still was an a grown adult, mother of two._

 _"Can- can we get coffee sometime?" Beca asked. "I'd really like to catch up with you. Out of all the Bellas, I've missed you the most."_

 _Aubrey smiled, the feelings that she had towards the woman flooding back, "Of course, here let me give you my number." She said writing her number down on a piece of paper. "I've missed you too."_

 _The conversation didn't stop there though, when Beca left the office she sent Aubrey a text and the two started talking through there. When they finally went out for coffee, it was their first date and from there it led them to the present day._

Beca stirred awake and saw her girlfriend looking at her, "What are you looking at, creeper?" She said kissing the headmaster good morning.

"Just my beautiful girlfriend," Aubrey said. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said as she leaned in again to kiss her.

The two began to make out for awhile, just loving being together. They heard movement and laughing coming from the hallway indicating that both Chloe and Greyson were up. They heard a muffled conversation, " _He broke up with you for no reason and then he asked you to homecoming? The hell is Tom's problem?" Greyson asked._

The shower was going, but the couple could imagine Greyson standing at the vanity shaving as Chloe took a shower, _"I have no clue," they head Chloe say. "He asked me in front of Stacie and Jessica too. They waited until I politely declined and he walked away pissed off to laugh. I don't think he really thought it through."_

 _"Are you even going to homecoming?" Greyson asked. "We only went to junior prom because my mom and Emily practically made me and I didn't want to take anyone other than you and nobody had asked you yet."_

" _I might go with Stacie and Jessica." She said. "Are you going? Oooh are you finally gonna ask Jessica out? I know you've been pining over her since freshman year."_

 _"I haven't been pining, Beale. I resent that statement." Greyson said with a toothbrush in his mouth._

 _"Suuure," Chloe let out, "whatever makes you feel better, Mitchell."_

 _"You know you have a thing for Stacie," Greyson said. "Even with your on again, off again relationship with Tom. The way you look at her when you don't think anybody is looking is the same way my mom does with your sister."_

Aubrey chuckled against Beca's chest, "He does have a point." The blonde said softly as Beca kisses the top of the headmaster's head.

 _"I do not have a thing for Stacie," Chloe let out as the shower turned off. "I mean, yes, I identify as an pansexual, but I do not have a thing for Stacie Conrad."_

 _"Keep living in your bubble of denial, Beale." Greyson said after spitting out toothpaste. "But, one day, you're going to wake up and realize that life is too short for you to be in that bubble."_

 _"Pot meet kettle," Chloe laughed._

 _"Yeah, I know, but the thing is, you can tell Stacie has a thing back for you," Greyson said. "Jessica is so hard to read. Especially when Ashley is around."_

 _"Those two are just best friends," Chloe said. "Like you and me. Practically siblings. Look, how about if I reveal my feelings to Stacie, which YES, I do have them, you reveal your feelings to Jessica and ask her out to homecoming. Today."_

 _There was a long silence, before, "Deal." Greyson said._

The talking faded out as the two made their ways down the hall to finish getting ready for the day in their rooms and the couple who were still cuddling in bed had a peaceful silence between the two of them. Aubrey's head on Beca's chest—Beca scratching the blonde's scalp soothingly. Music could be heard in the background, probably coming from Greyson's room as it had a more _alternative_ feel compared to Chloe's music.

"I love how those two get along," Beca said suddenly.

Aubrey hummed, "Me too," she said. "They're like siblings." She added as her sister said a few minutes before.

* * *

That day at school, Aubrey couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something different in the air and she didn't like it. She did her rounds before school. It made her feel better after her mom and stepdad died, to know that Chloe was safe in her classes. She nonchalantly did it every morning and she added Greyson to her morning routine. Both he and Chloe had every class except for homeroom and first period together. Chloe's first period was organic chemistry, she looked into the classroom briefly to see her and Jessica as lab partners and they were smiling about something as they did the assignment. Aubrey then slowly made her way across the high school campus to look into Greyson's classroom where he was sitting next to Stacie as they both were listening to their teacher lecture.

Aubrey stared at the boy for a moment, remembering the memory she had of her and his mother that morning. She couldn't imagine what it's like to _not_ know your father. Her own father put the Army in front of her and her mother, causing the divorce, and she still has some painful conversations with the man, but she still loved him dearly. She couldn't imagine a life without the general, nor would she want to. Greyson Mitchell _never_ got to meet his father and yet Beca raised him to be practically everything that James Mitchell was. She could definitely see a lot of the late pilot in the young man learning about physics in that moment and maybe she stared for _too_ long because the boy suddenly made eye contact with her and raised an eyebrow at her, reminding her of his mom—she blushed and then walked away quickly.

She suddenly felt a vibrate in the pocket of her business suit pants and saw that it was a text from Greyson, being as playful as she has ever seen him.

 _Greyson: I see you, Headmaster Posen._

It was followed by another text.

 _Greyson: Seriously Bree, have a good day. I love you._

Aubrey stopped dead in her tracks, the boy may have not said it verbally to her yet, but the love that she felt for her girlfriend's children just grew ten times more and to know that Greyson loved her back made her heart swell.

 _Aubrey: I was just checking up on you—needed to make sure that Beca Mitchell's son actually made it to class. ;)_

She then realized that she didn't reply back to his love.

 _Aubrey: Oh and I love you too. Have a good day yourself. Make good choices._

She smiled at the last three words knowing that is something Beca would say. It didn't push down the uneasy feeling that she had about the day, but she had to push through whatever she was feeling for the sake of professionalism, at least that's what she kept telling herself.

* * *

Chloe was walking with Stacie on their lunch break, the two were just talking about random things when Chloe decided to bring up her and Greyson's conversation from that morning.

"I told Greyson about Tom asking me to homecoming this morning," the redhead said.

Stacie chuckled, "Yeah? How'd he react?" She asked.

"He doesn't think Tom has a lot of class." Chloe chuckled.

"I mean, he doesn't." Stacie said. "I just hope to _god_ that he doesn't ruin the experience."

"God, me too." Chloe said. "Greyson did bring up something interesting this morning..."

"Yeah?" Stacie said. "What's that?"

They stopped, "Look Stacie," Chloe said. "I have feelings for you and I know you may never have feelings back, but I don't think I can hide them anymore. I mean, we only live once, right?"

Stacie smiled, "I have feelings for you too, Chlo." She said, taking a step forward and grabbing her hands. "I'm glad that I can now ask you to be my homecoming date without having to say just as friends."

"Really?" Chloe asked.

Stacie nodded and stepped forward and kissed Chloe softly, just as Chloe returned the kiss she heard gunshots which made her jump back and look at Stacie who was just as surprised and they both ran into the classroom that looked empty, but had Mr. McPherson and some students. The teacher then pulled them farther into the classroom and locked the door, "Get down." He then said to everyone in the classroom.

* * *

Greyson was walking with Jessica thinking about what Chloe said, the two were actually talking about a recent episode of some superhero show that they both watched. It got quiet for a moment before the boy got enough courage, "Y'know, you're incredibly amazing to talk to," he said.

"Aww," Jessica said, "you are too!"

"And Chloe and I were talking this morning and we both come to realize that we have feelings for people and I can't pretend that I don't have feelings for you anymore, you're too amazing and beautiful to not have feelings for. "You don't have to feel the same way as I do, but I really needed to tell you that I like you a lot. And if you did happen to like me back, I'd _really_ like to go to homecoming with you."

Jessica smiled softly, Greyson didn't know how to read it, but all she got out was, "Greyson," before they heard gunshots ringing out through the quad.

"Mitchell. Davis." The two looked and saw the janitor, "Get in here now."

The two teenagers obeyed the janitor's commands and ran into the closet with the man and he quickly shut the door and Greyson whispered-yelled, "Were those _gunshots_?"

The janitor nodded, "Yes. Do you think I would bring you two in here for any _other_ reason?"

"Yes," Jessica breathed out in Greyson's direction. "I feel the same way, I always have."

Greyson smiled and pulled her close to him in a hug and kissed her forehead. They'd work out the rest of the details when they weren't in an active shooter situation, but for now, having Jessica Davis in his arms was all that he could want.

* * *

Aubrey was in a meeting when the feeling she was having all day came into focus. She heard a loud noise and then a bunch of screaming as her assistant came into the room where she was meeting with the superintendent, they were talking about next quarter, when Sarah cleared her throat, "Umm, hi, sorry to interrupt, but we have a crucial problem," the woman got out.

"What's going on?" The superintendent asked as Aubrey's face asked the same.

"We have an active shooter on the high school side of campus," Sarah got out in a shaky breath.

Both eyes of Aubrey and Chuck, the superintendent went wide, "Ser-seriously?" Aubrey managed to get out. Sarah nodded furiously, "Well, what are you waiting for?" She then said. "Call nine one one!"

"We already have, but thought you should be briefed," Sarah said. "Y'know, to put the _entire_ campus on lockdown."

Aubrey then jumped into action in their lockdown plan with her boss assisting her, "We are on lockdown," Aubrey's voice boomed through campus. "This is not a drill. I repeat, we are on lockdown. This is _not_ a drill." She then turned to her assistant, "Sarah, have _all_ parents contacted and tell them where the meeting place is going to be and to _not_ come to campus, okay?" Sarah nodded and scurried off. Another round of gunshots rang through the high school, "Damnit, Chloe and Greyson are out there." She mumbled.

"Text them, ask them if they're safe," Chuck's calm yet shaky voice said.

Aubrey nodded, "Thank you." She said. She sent a text message to both Chloe and Greyson at the same time, if they weren't together, she was sure that they would want to know where each other were.

 _Aubrey: Hi kids, we're in a serious lockdown. I know you two know that, but I NEED to know that you two are okay. Please let me know you're both okay._

It was even 30 seconds later that she got two texts back.

 _Chloe: Stacie and I are hiding in Mr. McPherson's classroom with him and a couple of other students. Safe._

 _Greyson: Jessica and I are hiding in a closet with the janitor. It was the closest hiding spot once the shots went off. So, safe._

Aubrey smiled and quickly sent a text message back to the two of them.

 _Aubrey: I'm glad you two are safe. Stay put. It'll all be over soon. I love you both._

 _Chloe: Love you Bree. Love you Grey. [heart emoji]_

 _Greyson: I love you Bree. I love you Chlo._

Aubrey had tears dwelling in her eyes, it was the second time that Greyson had told her that he loved her over text. She just wished this time was under better circumstances. She then felt her phone vibrate again, she looked at it. It was a text message from Beca.

 _Beca: Umm, I just got this alarming recorded phone call from the school saying that there's an active shooter on the high school campus. You want to explain this to me? Are you safe? Are the kids safe?_

Aubrey texted back immediately to calm her girlfriend's nerves.

 _Aubrey: Yes. There's an active shooter. Yes, we're all safe. Love you._

That was the last text message Aubrey sent before another round of gunshots went off. She then hid under the desk in her office. Chuck was hiding beside her. They were out of view if the shooter decided to break the lock and come in.

* * *

Meanwhile, Beca was sitting on the couch in her office having lunch with Emily. It had been awhile since the mother and daughter had lunch together despite Emily being signed to the label.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?" Beca asked.

"Good," Emily said. "I, uhh, I do have some news."

"What's up?" Beca asked with a small smile. She had a feeling that she knew what was coming.

The younger woman pulled a ring out of her pocket and placed it on her wedding finger, "Benji proposed to me last night." She said showing off the ring.

Beca's smile got bigger as she went to hug her daughter, "I _knew_ it!" She said. "Well, only because he came and asked for my permission."

Emily's eyes went wide, "Really?" She said. "He didn't tell me that."

"Yeah," Beca said remembering how awkward the young man was. "You were in a session with Jesse."

 _Beca looked up when she heard a nervous knock on her door, she took her reading glasses off when she saw it was her daughter's boyfriend, who had honestly become her son over the last several years that they were dating, "Hey Benji." Beca said. "Emily's in a session with Jesse right now."_

 _"I- uh-" he cleared his throat, "I know. I- umm, I came to talk to you."_

 _"Okay?" Beca asked confused. "What's up?"_

 _Benji came in and closed the door, sitting in one of the chairs in front of Beca, "I came to ask for your permission to marry Emily." He got out all in one breath. "I really, really love her. And I can support her. I know I'm still in my teaching credential program, but I really just want to spend the rest of my life with her."_

 _Beca smiled and reached for the young man's hand, "Of course you have my permission, honey." She said. "Do you have any ideas on how you're going to do it?"_

 _He shook his head, "I- uhh- I was wondering if you could help me out?" He asked scratching the back of his neck._

 _Beca's face lit up in a smile, "Of course," she said as the two spent the next hour planning the perfect proposal._

"I still can't believe you gave Jesse Swanson a job as a music producer here." Emily said. "Especially since he's better at scoring movies."

Beca shrugged, "You gotta start somewhere," she said as her phone began vibrating on the table. She looked at it, "Why is John Adams Prep calling me?"

"I promise it wasn't me this time," Emily joked, knowing that she got into some trouble earlier on in high school, receiving calls from the guidance counselor was a normal occurance for Beca when it came to Emily.

Beca rolled her eyes, "Hello?" She answered.

 _"This is a recorded message from John Adams Preparatory Academy, we are calling because we need to inform you that there is an active shooter on the high school wing of campus,"_ Beca's eyes went wide.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Emily asked seeing her mom's face.

Beca shushed her for a moment to continue listening, "We ask that you _do not_ come to campus, but meet your respective child or children at Mount Hope Christian Church two miles southeast from campus. Again, we ask that you _do not_ come to campus."

Beca hung up her phone and immediately sent a text to Aubrey.

 _Beca: Umm, I just got this alarming recorded phone call from the school saying that there's an active shooter on the high school campus. You want to explain this to me? Are you safe? Are the kids safe?_

The immediate text back made her feel a little easier.

 _Aubrey: Yes. There's an active shooter. Yes, we're all safe. Love you._

She then sent a text to Greyson and Chloe separately.

 _Beca [to Greyson]: I just got a call from the school. Bree said that you're safe. Be brave for me, honey. Love you._

 _Beca [to Chloe]:_ _I just got a call from the school. Bree said that you're safe. Be brave for me, Chlo. Love you._

"Come on, we gotta get to Mount Hope." Beca said gathering her stuff.

"What? Why?" Emily asked.

"There's an active shooter on campus and they told us we have to meet everyone there." Beca got out.

"Okay," Emily said jumping into action immediately. "Let's go."

The mother and daughter got out of the studio without being stopped and they got into Beca's car, rushing to the same church that they held James' memorial service, all those years ago.

* * *

Chloe was cuddled into Stacie, the brunette had her arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders as gunshots went off again they heard a scream, which meant a student didn't get to safety in time.

"Maybe you should run faster next time, Noble." The gunman said making both Chloe and Stacie look at each other because they _knew_ that voice. That voice belonged to Tom.

"Oh my god," Chloe whispered.

"It's okay," Stacie whispered soothingly, wrapping a tighter arm around her. "It's okay."

They then heard a loud thud on the door, the window of the door showed Tom's face, the gunman kicked the door again, the door opened, and Chloe whispered out inaudibly, "Jesus _fucking_ Christ."

Luckily both Chloe and Stacie were cuddled behind a counter in the chemistry classroom, so Tom couldn't see them.

"Well, well, well, _what_ do we have here?" Tom got out.

"Please, Mr. Baker, you don't have to do this." The teacher got out.

Stacie saw who the gun was pointed at, a boy named Owen Walker, she didn't know him all too well, but she did know that he was a close friend of Greyson's. The two grew up together from the age of nine on.

"I figure if I shoot you," he said to Owen, "it'll hurt Greyson Mitchell which then in return will hurt Chloe Beale." He fired off a couple of rounds at the boy before firing a couple of rounds at the teacher, both of them, dying instantly. Stacie held in her gasp and looked at Chloe, the redhead was shaking because she _knew_ what just had happened, she had saw a glimpse of it. Her ex-boyfriend just shot her best friend's _other_ best friend. Both Chloe and Greyson always joked that they were allowed to have _one_ other best friend outside of them. Hers was Jessica and his was Owen. "Well, off to the next room." He then said suddenly leaving the room.

"He wants to hurt me," Chloe got out. "He's doing all of this just because wants to hurt _me._ "

Stacie pressed a kiss to the top of Chloe's head, she had always dreamed of being in this position with the redhead, but under better circumstances of course.

* * *

Jessica was still in Greyson's arms, getting used to the smell of his cologne. The closet was big enough for them to sit apart, but the girl was seeking comfort and she wasn't about to get it from the janitor who refused to call her anything other than _Davis._

"Who would do this?" Greyson let out. "And why? Who is hurting enough to put an entire school in lockdown?"

"Could be anyone," the janitor let out, making the two teenagers look at him strangely. "What? It's true. Hurting people hurt people."

"But they hurt themselves more," Jessica got out.

"True." The janitor said. "I'm happy for you two though. Been watching you two pine after each other for a few years now." The janitor nodded. Greyson gave him a glare, "What?"

"I did not pine after her," Greyson said.

"Yeah you did," Jessica mumbled into his uniform blazer, "but it's fine. I pined after you. I'd do it until the day I die."

Greyson smiled and kissed the top of her head, he _refused_ to have their first kiss in front of a man who refused to call him anything other than _Mitchell._ He felt like the girl in his arms agreed.

* * *

Aubrey was still sitting under her desk with Chuck nearby, she had her arms wrapped around her legs, rocking back and forth. She was quietly doing some deep breathing exercises.

"I know how Chloe is," Chuck finally whispered, "but who's Greyson?"

Aubrey looked up at the man, "Greyson is my girlfriend's son." She said honestly. "I know it's kind of frowned upon for me to be dating one of the students' parents, but I don't treat him any differently. He asked for that when he found out I was dating his mom."

Chuck nodded, "I can't tell you what to and not to do in your personal life, Aubrey. I was just merely curious." He said.

The two sat in silence for awhile before they heard the door kicked down, they both held their breath before they saw it was the swat team, they let go of the breath they were holding as one of them said, "The gunman is in custody. We have the rest of the team evacuating all of campus and taking them to Mount Hope."

"How many fatalities?" Aubrey softly asked as she and her boss got up.

"Two so far, ten injuries as far as we know." The man said. "Come with me. Place your hands over your heads, it's procedure."

The two did what they were told and exited the school. When they got outside they saw students standing in crowds waiting for the go ahead to walk to the church. Aubrey immediately looked for Chloe and Greyson. The redhead found her first, "Bree!" She called out, running to hug her sister.

"Oh baby girl," Aubrey said while embracing her sister. The headmaster then pulled back and grabbed her sister's face, she saw Stacie standing behind her sister. "You two okay?" They both shook their heads before grabbing each other's hands, "Alright, let's get you two to Mount Hope."

"Wait," Chloe said suddenly, "where's Greyson?"

"Right here," he said holding Jessica's hand approaching them. Chloe flung herself at him, he wrapped his arms tight around her. "Hi Chlo."

* * *

Both Beca and Emily didn't know how relieved it would feel to be reunited with Aubrey, Chloe, and Greyson. Beca immediately took the headmaster into her arms as Emily took her baby brother in her arms before Chloe. The music producer kissed the headmaster hard on the mouth, "Thank _god_ , you all are okay," she then said pulling Greyson into a hug before Chloe.

Chloe's face read other emotions that Emily read immediately, "Well, physically okay." She said.

Greyson put an arm around the redhead, "What's wrong, Chlo?" He asked.

The entire family's attention was on her and then she let out a sob that she had been holding back, "He did this because he wanted to hurt _me._ " She said.

"How do you know that honey?" Aubrey asked taking her sister's face into her hands again.

"He bursted into the classroom I was in," she said. "He didn't see me, but he said to- to Owen that if he shot him that he would hurt you," she gestured to Greyson, "and if he hurt you, then he'd hurt me. He then proceeded to shoot both Owen and Mr. McPherson until they were dead."

Greyson looked over to Owen's family as they were being told by police that their oldest son didn't make it out alive. He saw his mother's hand go to her mouth and his dad grab the pew they were standing by to hold himself upright. Greyson then left his family and went over to the Walker's, "Mr. and Mrs. Walk-" he got out before emotion took over. Owen's mom pulled Greyson in close, knowing that she lost her son and this boy just lost his best friend.

Beca watched as her boy tried to console the Walker parents, she knew that she would be consoling him soon enough.

* * *

That night, Beca and Aubrey wanted all three kids close, "I don't care if we're sleeping on top of each other," Beca said. "Everyone get ready for bed and head to my and Aubrey's room."

The three kids didn't protest and just did what they were told to do, the couple went into the kitchen, and Aubrey finally let the emotions of the day day take over. She cried and Beca held her tight, "I'm sorry I can't be strong anymore." The blonde said.

"Don't be sorry," Beca said. "Today was a scary day. I want you to feel whatever you need to feel," she added with her own tears in her eyes. "I love you Aubrey."

"I love you too." Aubrey said. "I'm sorry my texts were so short and to the point today. I was _so_ scared."

Beca nodded, "I can imagine." She said. "I was _so_ scared myself. Thinking about a life without you is _not_ what I want to do. I want to spend the rest of _my_ life loving you."

"Is this you proposing?" Aubrey asked incredulously.

Beca shook her head, "Again, _no._ " She said. "I have everything planned out. Besides, this would be a complete inappropriate time to do so."

The two shared a kiss before heading up the stairs, all three kids were waiting for them, they put Chloe and Greyson in the middle, sandwiched between Aubrey and Beca with Emily on the other side of her mom. Chloe grabbed Greyson's hand as he lied on his back staring at the ceiling, thinking about Owen. Beca soothingly scratched his head as she did that very morning with the blonde on the other side of the redhead.

Beca Mitchell was thankful that her two kids, girlfriend, and girlfriend's sister were _safe_. This was their safe harbor and as the family fell asleep that night, knowing about the horrors of the world, they were thankful for their _safe harbor._

* * *

 **End note:** I _knoooow._ I'm sorry! The angst in my life is of my own making (I only _like_ chaos when _I_ create said chaos... _sometimes_ ).

Healing is coming and I _promise_ more Mitchsen fluff. Since you all seem to like that. Plus some Chacie fluff and exploring the Greyson/Jessica relationship too (fun fact: Kelley Jackle, the actress that plays Jessica, and I share the same hometown, which is why I like her).

Okay, it's now two am and I have to be at work _at nine am_ , what am I doing to myself?

Until next time, pitches!


	4. Three

**A/n:** Playing with characters emotions is the exact reason why I'm studying to be a storyteller.

Minor **trigger warning** for mentions of death and violence.

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

Greyson was sitting at the bottom of the stairs nervously adjusting his tie. Today was Owen's memorial service and all he kept thinking was he was so glad his last words to the boy were, _"I love you, dude. It's awesome being your best friend."_ Aubrey came down and sat right next him placing an arm tightly around his shoulders, he placed his head on her shoulders, they sat in silence for a moment before Greyson said, "They asked me to do the eulogy."

Aubrey kissed the top of his head, "Are you ready?" She asked.

"Would you be?" Greyson asked.

"I guess not," Aubrey responded.

There was a silence between them before, "How is someone amazing as Owen dead, but people like Tom are still alive?" He let out a weak laugh. "Why?"

"I wish I knew how to answer the hun," Aubrey said. "Just know your mom and I are going to be here through _everything_."

He nodded, "I love you Bree." The boy said curling into her more.

It was the first time he verbally said it to her and Aubrey tried to hide her tears, "I love you too, baby." She said. "Your mom is sad that she had to work today and not be there with you when you need her, I hope that I can be a great step in."

"I mean, you're practically my stepmom already, right?" He said with a small smile.

Aubrey let her head fall as Chloe came down behind them, "You guys ready?" The redhead asked in a quiet voice.

Aubrey stood up and took Chloe into her arms as Greyson stood up and gave them some space. There was a knock on the door and Greyson opened it to see Stacie, Jessica, and Ashley standing there. They were all going to the the memorial service together. The boy hugged them all and then stepped outside with Jessica, "Hi," he said.

"Hi yourself," Jessica said. The two hadn't really talked about their relationship, in fact, Greyson had been ignoring her texts over the last few days. The girl rubbed up and down his arms, "I know things have been hard for you-"

"I shouldn't have ignored your texts," He said. "My mom and Aubrey have been demanding family days lately and to be honest, I've been too depressed to really talk to anyone. I _really_ like you, Jess."

"I _really_ like you too, Grey." Jessica said.

Greyson smiled and then leaned in and kissed her for the first time. The girl lifted her hand to place it on his face, the boy placing his hands on her waist. They pulled back and rested on each other's forehead. They kissed again as the door opened, "Aww," they head Stacie say. "You two are the _cutest_."

Greyson looked over his shoulder to see Stacie standing there holding Chloe's hand, Greyson rolled his eyes and pulled his keys out of his pocket, "Everyone ready?" He asked grabbing Jessica's hand.

* * *

Greyson walked up to the podium when he was called and cleared his throat and adjusting his tie again, "Owen Jefferson Walker was born in Sacramento, California. He was the oldest child and only son of Joseph and Lisa Walker. The grandson of Paul and Jane Walker and Logan and Rachel Taylor, all of Sacramento, CA. The older brother of Laura, Felicity, and Zoey Walker. He led an active life on his pursuit to become a major league baseball player, his hope to become a Los Angeles Dodger, he was a good student, son, brother, and friend. Everyone who had a chance to know him knew that he was one of the kindest people you'll ever meet in your life, always with a smile on his face, and a helping hand of service. A memorial service will be held in his honor at Mount Hope Christian Church on October 4th at 2:00pm." Greyson took a deep breath, "This is what I read on my iPad while drinking my first cup of coffee yesterday morning. I won't go into how he died because I don't want to give the perpetrator any more light than the media is already giving him, I was asked to share some stories about me and Owen. We met because we played baseball on the same little league team and were even co-captains of John Adams Prep's varsity baseball team together, I had just moved from NYC to LA when I met him and didn't have very many friends." He adjusted his tie, a nervous habit, "We got along really well. We'd have adventures along the Santa Monica Pier. And while I thought of all the amazing stories that I could share with you, I can't help, but think about the man that Owen Walker was becoming."

He took a shaky deep breath and looked to where Aubrey and Chloe were sitting. The headmaster gave him a smile and thumbs up and the redhead, who was curled into Stacie while holding Aubrey's hand, smiled up at him mouthing _you got this_ , the Mitchell boy cleared his throat again, "Major League Baseball scouts were already looking at him with hopes to draft him upon him graduating, the Dodgers being one of those prospects. He wasn't wanting to waste anytime. He was a man of honor and integrity. A friend to all who knew him. He loved his girlfriend, Natalie Potter with all of his heart, I remembered the morning of his death, we were sitting in homeroom and he jokingly asked me if he should either ask Natalie to homecoming or to marry him first." Greyson looked over at Natalie who was surprised, "Yeah, he wanted to marry you Nat, he loved you more than you'll ever know, more than he'd ever come to understand."

Greyson's eyes were filled with tears as he took another deep breath, "More than being a professional baseball player, he wanted to be a husband and a father." He paused and looked over at Owen's family, "He loved his family wholeheartedly. The oldest child and only boy, he was protective of his sisters and his mom. His dad is the reason why he loves baseball, being a college baseball coach at the University of California Los Angeles, he grew up going to ball games with his dad. Jackie Robinson Stadium was his second home and sometimes mine too."

He looked over at his youngest sister Zoey who was just 10 years old before looking at Felicity, age 12, and Laura, age 15, "Your brother was the brother I never got to have and I only hope that while I may never replace him, I can step in and be your big brother." The three girls nodded, gratefully. Greyson then looked back over at Aubrey, "He was a good student, mainly because I kicked his ass and told him to do his homework and studying for his exams." Everyone chuckled, Greyson's voice steadied, and got somber, "He was overall the happiest person I knew, it was almost crazy how happy his personality is- I mean, _was_." Greyson swallowed, "He struggled with severe anxiety that he always pushed to the side. I remember the first time I saw him not smiling, we were 14 and he had just gotten back from a trip from Sacramento and he was sitting on the curb with his head in his hands, I had come riding on my bike, excited to see him again, and when I got to him-" Greyson took a deep breath, "When I got to him he tried to put a happy face on, but I saw through his façade and got off my bike and wrapped an arm around him and asked him what was wrong, _I'm anxious_ is all he got out. I didn't ask him what about because I suffer from anxiety and I always hate it when people asked what I was anxious about, so I just sat with him. I got to see a side of him that no one else did and then he asked, _do you think we'll still be friends when we graduate in four years?_ I had totally forgot that the next day we were starting our freshman year, he was anxious that we would drift apart and I remember nodding and saying, _Between you and Chloe I don't think I'll make it through high school alive._ He looked up at me grateful that I didn't judge him. I got to see the side of Owen Walker that very few did and it was something I never took for granted."

Greyson then looked up at the ceiling, "Owen brother, if you can hear me, know that I love you and that I'll never forget you." He said before looking straight, "Thank you."

He went to sit down between Stacie and Jessica, but this time in the fetal position thinking about his late friend.

* * *

Beca was holding Aubrey with Greyson's head in her lap, Chloe's was in Aubrey's. The two teenagers were half-asleep as the evening news played in the background. The headmaster's face was buried in the music producer's neck. Both of the adults were playing with the hair of the teenager in their lap.

"Now in our coverage of the investigation behind the tragic shooting at John Adams Preparatory Academy here in the heart of Los Angeles," the news anchor said on tv. "Police have found Thomas Baker's motive in Thursday's shooting, at a press conference today with LAPD's Chief of Police, Mark Highland."

"Today we have found the motive behind Mr. Baker's deadly pursuit that left three people dead and nine people injured at John Adams Preparatory Academy on Thursday. It seems to be that Baker suffers from severe mental health issues and was trying to get revenge on an ex-girlfriend, who at the request of her family will not be named, declined his offer to take her to their upcoming homecoming dance."

"We also have a statement that was released from the academy's headmaster, Aubrey Posen, in regards to the shooting, it reads, in quote, _On behalf of the entire faculty, staff, and administration of John Adams Preparatory Academy, we grieve the loss of three members of our John Adams Prep family. Tyler McPherson, Owen Walker, and Sophia Brown were all active members of this student body. McPherson, a chemistry teacher, who inspired students to fall in love with science. Walker, co-captain of our varsity baseball team, who had dreams of becoming a Los Angeles Dodger. And Brown, our student body president, who had dreams to be active in our country's political climate. We as a community are grieving, but we do hope to recover as one. We will rise from the ashes and move forward._ The school was one week away from their scheduled fall break before coming back for their homecoming week. Headmaster Posen has said that things will still go on as planned, but with higher security and grief counselor's throughout the entire k-12 campus. We'll be right back."

"When the hell did you release a press statement?" Chloe asked from Aubrey's lap.

"This morning," Aubrey said. "Before we left for Owen's memorial service."

"Are you going to Mr. McPherson and Sophia's?" Greyson softly asked from Beca's lap.

"Yes," Aubrey said, voice breaking. Making Beca's arm that was around her go tighter. "Tomorrow and Tuesday."

A silence fell over them as the commercials went on, they all heard the front door open and close and three people emerged. Emily, Benji, and Jesse all wanted to be there for the three current John Adams Prep family members who were suffering.

"Hey guys," Beca said. "What's up?"

"We're all family here," Emily said. "So, we," she gestured between the three of them, "want to be here with our _family_."

Benji nodded, "Yeah, Jesse and I are going to cook dinner, so that you don't have to," he gestured between the older couple.

Jesse looked at the screen to see the evening news, " _Annnd_ , we're going to change the channel to the Packers and Lions game," the younger music producer said, "because the news is filled with the investigation and we all don't need that stuff in our lives right now."

"I can live with that," Greyson mumbled.

"Thank you," Beca said to the three older kids. "Bree and I appreciate it."

"Of course, Mom." Emily said kissing the woman's forehead.

"It's the least we can do," Benji added.

"Yeah, I mean, you practically adopted the two of us after his parents passed and mine disowned me for being gay," Jesse said. "We want to be here for you as you all are struggling."

Chloe abruptly got up and left the room, leaving everyone confused. Everyone was looking around at each other and as Greyson and Aubrey started to get up to talk to her, Emily stopped them, "I'll go after her," the musician said. "I want to check in with her anyway. I'll be checking in with you later," she added, pointing at Greyson. He nodded and put his head back in Beca's lap, the music producer played with the teenage boy's hair, soothing his racing mind.

* * *

Emily didn't know where Chloe went off to until she made it up the stairs and heard soft singing, the door was open, but Chloe was standing at the window looking out at the sunset over the skyline of LA, clearly crying, _"I took my love, I took it down. Climbed a mountain and I turned around. And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills 'til the landslide brought it down. Oh, mirror in the sky."_ Emily was surprised to hear the redhead singing, it's something she'd never heard before, she was surprised that her mom's girlfriend's sister could sing, _"What is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life? Well, I've been afraid of changin' 'cause I've built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, even children get older and I'm getting older, too,"_ Emily leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed and just listened, it was one of her favorite songs, her mom would sing it to her when she _really_ missed her dad. _"Well, I've been afraid of changin' 'cause I've built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, even children get older. And I'm getting older, too oh, I'm getting older, too."_ Emily decided to join her, _"I took my love, I took it down,"_ Chloe jumped, but the two kept singing anyway, _"I climbed a mountain and I turned around. And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills, well the landslide will bring it down. And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills, well the landslide will bring it down. Oh, the landslide will bring it down."_

It was silent for a moment, "I didn't know that you could sing," Emily said softly breaking the silence.

Chloe shrugged, "I'm not good enough to win a Grammy or anything, but yeah, I can sing." She said sitting on her bed crossing her legs.

Emily took the initiative to come in the room and close the door behind her, sitting in the office chair at the next next to the bed, "I know you're not okay and that's perfectly okay considering the last several days, but you don't have to go through it alone." The musician said.

"He came to campus-" Chloe took a deep breath, "he came to campus with a gun, killed three people, injuring nine more because of _me_. I feel responsible for what happened on Thursday." The redhead said, feeling guilty.

"But, it's not your fault," Emily said. "You didn't tell him to come to campus with a gun. You didn't tell him to kill or injure those people. He did that because he isn't okay because he is- is _hurting._ It's not your fault Chloe and it will never be."

"Greyson lost one of his best friends because of me. Nine people are injured and in the hospital because of me" Chloe said. "John Adams Prep lost its student body president and favorite chemistry teacher because of _me_. If I would've just said yes to his offer to take me to homecoming, Greyson would still have one of his best friends, nine people would be enjoying their fall break, John Adams Prep would still have their student body president and favorite chemistry teacher. This is _all my fault_."

Chloe started crying, for the first time in a few days, she let out every emotion the was bottled up inside of her, and Emily immediately jumped into action, she got on the bed and pulled Chloe close as the redhead cried. The musician didn't know what else to do as the teenage girl's head went to her chest. All she could even think of doing was just being here in this moment and comforting her mom's girlfriend's sister in the best way she knew how.

* * *

Emily knocked on the doorframe of Greyson's door later that night as her brother was reading a comic book. The boy looked up and smiled softly at his sister, "Come on in, Em." He said, putting the comic book on the nightstand and lifting his arm up so he could put it around his sister.

Emily came to her brother's bed and curled into him, "How are you doing, baby brother?" She asked. "Like honestly."

It was silent for a while, "I'm _not_ okay," he said quietly. "I want to wake up from this nightmare."

Emily pressed a kiss to his forehead, "I know, bubba." She said. "I don't want to imagine what you, Chloe, and Aubrey are going through right now. So does this make you solo captain of the baseball team now?"

Greyson shrugged, "I don't know to be honest," he said. "Coach Larson wants to talk to me about it once we go back to school."

"You still are going to play and be captain, right?" Emily asked knowing that he continued playing baseball through high school as an extracurricular activity to help him get into MIT.

"Yeah," he said softly.

"What can I do to help?" Emily asked, helplessly.

"I don't know," Greyson said simply. "You just being here is nice."

"Of course, bubba." She said. "Benji, Jesse, and I are going to be here until you all go back to school."

"So, you and Benji getting married, huh?" Greyson said, remembering the night of the shooting when Beca and Emily were trying to talk to the three traumatized people in bed.

Emily nodded, "About that," she said. "I was wondering if you could be my best man?"

"Really?" He asked.

Emily nodded, "You're my best friend," she said. "You've been there for me in more ways than I can count. You're my baby brother and I want you standing behind me when I marry the love of my life."

Greyson smiled, a big genuine smile, for the first time since the morning of the shooting, "Of course." He said. "I wouldn't want to do anything else."

Emily kissed her baby brother's cheek, unbeknownst to the siblings, Beca was standing outside of Greyson's door with tears and a big smile. Her two kids were handed a rough hand in life, but they still came out on top. She knew that she didn't _have_ to worry about them and she loved that they loved each other so much.

The music producer then walked away towards her and Aubrey's room and stopped when she peaked into Chloe's room and saw the redhead and her girlfriend cuddling in the girl's bed, both fast asleep. She walked in and throw the blanket from the side of Chloe's bed over the both of them and kissed both of their foreheads and stared for awhile.

She wanted to spend her life with the headmaster, she couldn't imagine life with anyone else, even her late husband at this point. She went from a grieving, widowed mother of two to someone who was madly in love with their headmaster. Her eyes drifted to Chloe, the girl had captured her heart in ways she couldn't begin to explain, and when the redhead shifted in the blonde's arms and Aubrey subconsciously wrapped a tighter arm around her sister, Beca took a step back and turned off the light. Letting her love spend the night with her sister.

* * *

 **End note:** Winter break when I should be working on one last script for my film program = you guys get more updates. haha


	5. Four

**A/n:** So I'm gonna _try_ to give you some fluffy chapters for the next couple before ramping it back up again, but I cannot promise that. That's also what I just told my academic advisor yesterday when they saw a good chunk of my last script for my film school program, but I'm good with angst, but I always come through with that happy ending though... most of the time.

PS... if you haven't seen _The Greatest Showman_ , do yourself a favor and go see it. I was genuinely surprised.

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

It was the day before Aubrey was set to go back to work and Chloe and Greyson were set to go back to school. Chloe was sitting in her room with her girlfriend Stacie, both were finishing up some homework that was supposed to be due the day after the shooting, but obviously got pushed to after scheduled fall break. The redhead had been really quiet since that fatal day, she blamed herself a lot for the shooting, despite her family's protests that it wasn't her fault and it would never be. She said _no_ to Tom's homecoming proposal because that was what was best for her.

"You done?" Stacie asked Chloe. "Because I _really_ wanna cuddle with you."

Chloe softly chuckled, "Almost," she said. "Give me like five more minutes to finish this equation and then I'll be done, I promise." Stacie nodded not wanting to disturb her girlfriend working. The brunette had finished her homework a few minutes ago and the two of them spent most of fall break with their families after the shooting. The redhead finished the last of her math homework and then turned around to see her girlfriend lying on her bed waiting for her, she went and crawled into the taller girl's arms, "Hi." She said as she was settling.

"Hey there," Stacie said, kissing her neck, "I've missed you, sweetheart."

Chloe smiled a little, "I've missed you too, baby." She said. "I'm sorry that I've been so withdrawn."

Stacie kissed the top of her head, "Don't you even worry about it. I understand." She said.

The two just lied there for a moment before they heard Aubrey on the phone in the hallway, _"I knew there was going to be a lawsuit."_ The headmaster said, _"It only makes sense. Three people died and nine more were injured."_ There was silence, _"I just don't understand, Mr. Baker wasn't showing ANY signs that he would do this."_ More silence. _"I know he said he did it because of an ex-girlfriend, but that doesn't excuse the fact that two sets of families were never going to see their children graduate from high school AND college, get married, start a family of their own, and so on and so forth, and it's not fair that the media is trying to figure out who this mysterious ex-girlfriend is. She did NOTHING wrong. And we have sponsors threatening to pull out,"_ Uncomfortable silence. _"I don't care, Larry. You're OUR lawyer. Figure out a way to fix this."_

"This sucks," Chloe whispered once Aubrey slammed her and Beca's bedroom door shut.

Stacie sighed, "Yeah," she said, "it does."

There was a sudden knock on the door, "Come in," Chloe called softly. Beca poked her head in, "Hey Beca."

"Hey Chlo, Stacie," the music producer said. "So tonight's dinner might be a little tense."

"We heard most of Bree's conversation with the school's lawyer," Chloe said. "Is everything okay?"

Beca shook her head, "She's really upset." She said. "Sponsors are threatening to pull out of helping fund the school. I'm going to go to try and hold her before dinner, Jesse is barbecuing. Are you staying for dinner?" She asked Stacie.

"Only if it's okay," the girl said.

Beca nodded, "Of course it's okay, I'll come get you when dinner's ready." She said. "Oh and Chloe?" The redhead made more direct eye contact with Beca, "I'd like to talk to you alone after dinner, if that's okay."

"I'm probably going to end up telling Stacie anyway," Chloe said through a chuckle. "You can talk now."

Beca came and sat in the office chair by the bed, "I would like your permission and blessing to marry your sister," the music producer said. "I don't want a life without her and I won't propose without your or my kids' permission."

Chloe smiled a big genuine smile for the first time since the shooting, "Of course, Bec. You have my permission and blessing, you make her unbelievably happy. Speaking of which," Chloe nodded her head towards the door, "now would probably be a good time to go do that."

Beca stood up and kissed Chloe's forehead, "Thanks Chlo, I really care about you, I hope you know that." She said.

"I do. I love you, Bec." Chloe said for the first time.

"I love you too kiddo," Beca said. "You wanna help me propose to your sister tomorrow night?"

Chloe nodded in excitement, "Can we talk about it tonight? I kinda wanna cuddle with my girlfriend right now." She asked.

Beca chuckled leaving the room, "Of course," she said. "Don't have _too_ much fun in here." The music producer said shutting the door behind her.

"You're really cute," Stacie said after a moment.

"You're cuter," Chloe said before kissing her girlfriend hard as they began to make out.

* * *

Aubrey moaned as she leaned against Beca who was rubbing her shoulders in the tub after dinner that night, "You take such good care of me," the blonde said.

"I try." Beca said kissing her shoulder. "I just want to take care of you."

"I love you, Bec." Aubrey said turning to kiss her. "Thank you for taking care of me. And Chloe, I know you've been checking in with her lately."

"She feels like it's her fault," Beca said softly. "I don't want her to feel like anything evil in this world is her fault. I love that kid sister of yours, I hope you know that." She kissed Aubrey's shoulder, "I love you too, by the way. So much. I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore."

"Same here," Aubrey said turning around fully to cuddle into Beca's chest. "You're actually the first person that I've brought around Chloe because I _knew_ you weren't going to leave."

The music producer kissed the top of the headmaster's head, "Yeah, you two are stuck with me and the kids forever now." The brunette said.

"Good," Aubrey said.

* * *

The next morning was a little tense. The three John Adams prep goers didn't know how to feel about going back to a place where tragedy struck. Aubrey assured both students that the place was all cleaned up and that Tom was locked up in jail, awaiting to hear trial, but that didn't put any ease back into the two, especially Chloe, who was beating herself up for what had happened. Beca walked into Greyson's room to see him struggling with tying his tie, "You okay, baby?" She asked her son coming in to tie his tie for him.

"He's not going to come to my locker just to hand me my favorite coffee from the diner across the street before we go to homeroom together." Greyson said.

"Owen?" Beca asked knowingly. He nodded, "I'm really sorry baby." She finished tying his tie and kissed his cheek. "Try to have a good day today, okay?" He nodded as there was silence between them. What neither of them know is Chloe was outside the door hearing her best friend express emotion for the first time. He had been so strong. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to Jessica walking away.

 _Chloe: Hey, can you get Greyson a coffee from Logan's across the street from school? He drinks his coffee black. Owen used to do it for him so that he could save the coffee Aubrey gave him for his physics class._

She got an immediate text back.

 _Jessica: Already on it. Trying to rack up those good girlfriend points. You want anything? Getting Stacie coffee as well._

 _Chloe: Coffee would be great. You know how I like it._

 _Jessica: Creamer and sugar with a splash of coffee? ;P_

Chloe chuckled at her best friend as she walked downstairs for breakfast.

Meanwhile in Greyson's room, Beca had pulled him in for a hug and was holding him tight, "I love you, mom." He murmured through wet eyes.

"I love you too, baby." She said. "Hey, I did have a question for you though?"

"What's that?" He asked still in his mother's embrace.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with Aubrey and I want to make sure it's okay with you, Em, and Chlo." She said. "And no, I'm not telling you what the girls said."

Greyson pulled back and chuckled, "She's already like my stepmom anyway." He said. "The way she's been treating me for the last couple of weeks, I'd be stupid to say no. I really like her, mom. I like who she and Chloe are to this family. I know you and Em miss dad and I wish I could say that I do too, but I never knew him, but you've never been more happy with anyone you've ever dated like you are with Bree."

"She makes me happy," Beca agreed. " _So_ unbelievably happy."

"Well then, go on, make her my and Em's stepmom." He said with a big smile.

Beca kissed his cheek again and said, "I love you baby."

"I love you too, mom." He said pulling her into another hug. Towering over her with his chin on her head, it made her feel as safe as James made her feel when he was alive. She loved that her son was almost an identical twin to the man. She may love Aubrey wholeheartedly, but there will always be a part of her that loves the father of her children.

"So, you want to help me propose to Aubrey tonight?" Beca asked.

Greyson smiled, "Of course, what did you have in mind?" He asked.

* * *

Greyson was putting his books in his locker when he hears a knock on the locker door, he closed his eyes, that's what Owen used to do, he held back tears as he closed the door halfway to see his girlfriend smiling at him with a cup of coffee from the diner across the street, he smiled and let his head fall, "Thank you, hun." He said looking up at her taking the cup of coffee. "That was really thoughtful of you."

He leaned in and kissed her softly, hyperaware of the people around them, "I know today and really the rest of the year is going to be hard, but I hope that even though, I'm your girlfriend and not Owen, that I can help you through this." She said.

"I really appreciate it, hun. You have know idea." He said pulling her in for a tight hug. They pulled away and Greyson put his coffee in his locker like he usually does when he's unloading his books. "You ready for this all-school assembly?" He asked as he was grabbing the books that he did need shoving them into his backpack.

"Ha, if there ever was an exciting all-school assembly." She said. "What do you think Headmaster Posen is going to address?"

"Everything," he said knowingly as he asked that same question during their all-family breakfast. "I guess there's gonna be a lawsuit. She just wants everyone to be informed, I guess."

"Even the younger kids?" Jessica asked, incredulously.

"They actually are only going to be in there for the first bit, I guess." Greyson said closing his locker and shrugging while taking a sip of his coffee and putting his backpack on. "I asked Headmaster Posen all the same questions at breakfast this morning."

Jessica chuckled, "I'm still shocked that _you_ live with both Chloe and Headmaster Posen." She said grabbing his hand as they started to walk.

Greyson shrugged and looked around to make sure Aubrey wasn't around before saying, "My mom's proposing her tonight."

Jessica's eyes went wide, "Really?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, in front of all of their close friends and family." He said. "I was wondering if you'd like to come? I hear Chloe's bringing Stacie."

Jessica stopped and grabbed his face before kissing his mouth, "I'd love to, baby." She answered. "I'll just come over with Stacie, since we live next door to each other and all."

"Sweet," Greyson said smiling. "I'm really excited."

Jessica looked around to also make sure Aubrey wasn't around before she asked, "Sooo, how's she going to do it?"

Greyson smiled and said, "Well, it'll be kinda a reunion..."

* * *

"Now that the younger kids are gone, I'll give you all some cold hard truth about what it's going to be like for awhile as we heal as a community," Aubrey said to a half-filled auditorium of middle and high schoolers. "It's not going to be easy. We lost people and we can replace teachers, athletes, and student body presidents, we've done that before, but we can't replace what Mr. McPherson, Owen Walker, and Sophia Brown were to this community." Aubrey took a deep breath and looked out into the crowd of students to find Chloe, Greyson, Stacie, and Jessica all sitting next to each other with coffee with soft, encouraging smiles. "I wish it were easy." She continued. "But it isn't. I know you've probably heard your parents talking about it, but legal action is going to be taken. I really wish it didn't have to come down to this, but it does. You may have heard that we have sponsors threatening to pull out funding and that is true. I know you all have a lot of questions and I want you to know that we, the faculty, administration, and staff will do our bests to answer them for you, but we here at John Adams Prep need some time to heal." Aubrey sighed as she looked out to see worried looks on some of the students faces, "I promise you," the headmaster said earnestly, "we _will_ come back from this as one." Aubrey's eyes then landed back over to the senior class, "And to the senior class, I know you've lost a lot recently. Two people won't be walking with you at graduation in May. One teacher isn't going to come full circle to finish what he started. And for that, _I'm sorry._ I am here for everyone." She then addressed every class. "My door is _always_ opened." There was a brief pause as Aubrey's eyes met her sister and girlfriend's son's eyes. "Is there any questions?" She then asked. "Yes, Mr. Cordova?"

"What about the people who were injured?" The senior student asked. "Most of the nine were seniors, are they going to be walking in May?"

Aubrey nodded her head, "That is our only hope." She said, making a mental note to check in with all nine of those students and their families. "Yes, Miss Gonzales?"

* * *

Beca was sitting in on one of Emily's recording sessions with Jesse behind the board, she loved watching her daughter sing. It brought her some unbelievable joy. It's like when she watches Greyson code something on his computer. Her two kids found their deepest passions and are pursuing such passions.

"Alright Em," Jesse said. "That sounded good, but let's give it five and then run it again." He then turned to Beca, "The song sounds like it's missing something right?"

Beca nodded, "I wasn't going to say anything, but yeah, it does." She said.

"You're always welcome to give feedback, boss." He said. "I'm all about receiving it. I'm gonna go get coffee, you want anything?"

"Nope, thanks Jesse." The older music producer said as Emily came out.

"Oh mom," the girl said. "I didn't know you were in here."

"Snuck in at the last minute," she said. "I need to talk to you."

"Okay," Emily said falling on the couch next to her mom curling into her. This was their talking position. "What's up?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life with Aubrey," she said. "But, I won't do it with out you, Grey, or Chlo's permission. And before you ask, no I won't tell you what the other two said."

Emily chuckled, "I really like Aubrey," she said. "I do. She and Chloe are the missing pieces of out family after daddy died."

"She's not here to replace your dad," Beca reassured her daughter.

"I know," Emily said. "But, I want you to be happy mom. So of course you have my permission."

Beca let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, "Good because I was planning on doing it tonight and I've already enlisted your brother and Chloe's help. I need your help too."

Emily smiled big, "Okay." She said. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well," Beca said, "it's gonna be at the coffee shop that we had our first official date at."

* * *

Aubrey was _tired._ She spent most of her day consoling students, but she also knew that today was her and Beca's three year anniversary and she knew that her girlfriend had plans for them, so she looked at her computer on the desk, grabbed the coffee next to it, and took a huge gulp as she heard a knock on the door.

She sighed, "Come in," she called.

It was Greyson and Chloe, somehow the headmaster felt relieved, "Hi loves," she said softly. "What's up?"

"You know how my mom always has a game plan to make sure her next spontaneous surprise is better than the last?" Greyson asked making Aubrey chuckle and nod her head. "Well, today being your three year dating anniversary, we were enlisted to help."

"Okay?" Aubrey said nervously.

"Don't worry, Bree." Chloe said softly. "Beca just wants to cheer you up."

"Starting off with this," Greyson said pulling something out of his uniform jacket.

Aubrey took it from the boy and then unfolded it and saw Beca's messy handwriting, the blonde smiled.

 _I know this is weird,_ the note said, _but hang tight with me love. My son and your sister are going to take you on a little scavenger hunt, that's not really a scavenger hunt, and I'll be waiting at the final destination for your anniversary surprise. I gotta top the last two years, so here we go! [heart] -Beca_

Aubrey folded the note back up and looked at the two seniors in front of her, "Well, let's go." She then said as Greyson put his arm out for her to take.

The headmaster took the senior boy's arm as he led them out to his car. Aubrey had no idea what her girlfriend had planned for her, but she had a feeling that she was going to fall more in love with the music producer, which she didn't think was possible.

* * *

The first place they showed up at was the flower shop that Beca got Aubrey flowers from, they walked in, and the florist seemed to know Greyson, "Oh Greyson," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Mrs. Robertson." He said with that charming smile that Aubrey knew that he got from his father. "How's Brad?"

"Oh, he's good." She said. "Trying to get into Stanford, but he's struggling in trig. You think you could help him out?"

"Of course, tell him to give me a call," the boy said. "Anyway, my mom stopped by here earlier, right?"

"Oh yes," she said. "Here you go," she added handing the boy flowers as Greyson tipped her.

"These are for you." He said to Aubrey. "Your next note is inside."

Aubrey looked inside to a folded up piece of paper, and read the next note:

 _I remember our third, no? Fourth date, where you had just come off a really hard day and I noticed it in your text message responses and I showed up at your car at John Adams Prep to surprise you with your favorite flowers and a promise to take care of you. I will promise that until the day I die._

Aubrey took a minute to smell the roses, literally, and then looked up at Greyson who said, "Ready?" Placing out his arm. She nodded as she led her and Chloe out to the car. Opening both their doors as they got in.

* * *

Greyson then led his future stepmom to three other different locations where the couple had various dates with different memories before leading her to his mom at the place where they shared their first date.

When they got out Greyson held his arm out for Aubrey to hold, Chloe going ahead of them to open the door, "Okay Bree," Greyson said. "Close your eyes and I promise to guide you." Aubrey nodded her head and did as told. Greyson guided her into the cafe that was rented out by Beca herself so that they could then properly celebrate the couple's engagement. "Okay Bree," he said softly open your eyes.

Aubrey opened her eyes to see everyone she loved standing around various places of the cafe, she felt Greyson let go of her arm and join Chloe, Stacie, and Jessica to the side. She then saw Emily standing near by with Benji's arm around her and Jesse standing next to them, and finally her eyes laid before her to the love of her life kneeling on one knee right in front of her with a ring, Aubrey's hand went to her face, and she began to cry a little.

"Aubrey Posen, every single day since you reentered my life has been the best days of my life. I know things lately have been tough and I know that you've felt bad for leaning on me, but I wish you wouldn't. I want you in your good days and your bad ones. I want you in the good times and the bad. I want to spend the rest of my life taking care of you. With the blessing and permission of my kids and your sister, will you do me the honor of marrying me and being my wife?" Beca said with a hopeful smile.

Aubrey looked up to the three kids, who all nodded their heads, then back at her love, and said, "Yes, of course."

Beca slipped the ring on her fiancé's finger and stood up to kiss her, "I love you," she said as she rested her head on Aubrey's.

"I love you too, baby." She said.

* * *

 **End note:** Okay, so _maybe_ I can write a lot of fluff for a chapter.

It'll be a few chapters before the wedding, but it'll be a good one!


	6. Five

**A/n:** No excuses for the delay. Life is just a pain in the ass.

Back with all the angst and not sorry for it. I have an idea of how this story is going to go.

Here we go...

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

Chloe was pacing back and forth in her room, playing back her telling Tom _'no'_ to homecoming over and over again.

 _Chloe was sitting with Stacie and Jessica. Stacie had just said something to make her laugh as Tom nervously came up to their table._

 _"Hi," he said softly._

 _Chloe swallowed nervously, "Hi Tom," she said. Stacie and Jessica rolled their eyes and looked at their phones as the boy talked to Chloe._

 _"I- I was wondering if you had a date to homecoming yet." He said in the charming way that always got Chloe back in the past._

 _"I don't, but I think it's time that we move on to other people." Chloe said. "So if you're here to ask me to homecoming, the answer is a hard no."_

 _Tom looked at her and then looked at an equally surprised Stacie and Jessica, "Are- are you sure?" Tom asked. Chloe nodded her head. "But-"_

 _"You heard her," Stacie said. "No means no, Tom."_

 _"Yeah," Jessica chimed in, "you should just walk away now and be a man about it."_

 _Rage began to fill Tom's eyes, he turned around and walked away, hearing Stacie muttering, "what a dumbass" under her breath to both Chloe and Jessica._

Chloe was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the door, "Come in," she said, stopping her pacing.

"Hey," Greyson said coming in and shutting the door behind him. "We're still doing the double date thing to homecoming right?"

Chloe smiled at him, "I mean, if you want to. I know Stacie was saying she wanted the four of us to go together." She said. "Why?"

"Well, I just- I just needed to make sure because my mom is into the whole homecoming/prom thing and she wants us to go tomorrow after school to pick out what we're wearing to homecoming." He said. "It's a big thing for my mom and as much as I think it's dumb, I go along with it because I love her and all."

Chloe chuckled, sitting down on her bed, "I mean, sure. Are you sure it's not just you and your mom going?" She asked.

"She told me to come and ask," Greyson said with a shrug.

"Oh," Chloe said. "Then yeah, sure. I'm down."

"Okay cool," Greyson said. "You doing alright?"

Chloe nodded, "Yeah," she said. "How are you doing?"

"I have my good days and my bad days." He said.

"And how's today going?" Chloe asked.

"So, so." He said. "I'm gonna go have dinner with the Walker's tonight."

"Good, I'm glad." Chloe said.

"Are you sure you're doing okay?" Greyson asked.

Chloe shrugged, she didn't know how she was supposed to feel. Her ex boyfriend came into their school and murdered people all because she said no to his request to homecoming. She shrugged, "I want to be." She said. "Are you?"

He shrugged, "I want to be." He repeated. He moved towards Chloe to sit in front of him, "It's still hard to wrap my head around, y'know?" He said making her nod. "Mr. McPherson? Sophia? O-" He took a deep breath, "Owen? It's hard to understand that they're all gone."

Chloe nodded, she took a deep breath, "The school's lawyer wants me to testify." She said softly.

Greyson's eyebrows raised, "Are- are you going to do it?" He asked.

Chloe shrugged again, "I don't know if I should." She said. "Like why?"

Greyson shrugged again, "I mean, justice for Mr. McPherson, for Sophia, for- for Owen." He said visibly swallowing.

Chloe looked at her best friend and started to cry, "This is all my fault," she got out. "I should've just said yes to him."

"No," Greyson said. "Don't let him get inside your head."

"I don't get it." She said, crying harder.

Greyson embraced her and laid down, holding her close while she cried, hard into him. He didn't say anything else because he knew that it wouldn't ease her racing mind.

"I'll do it," Chloe said after a few moments of silence, "but I can't do it alone."

"You know this family, Stacie, Jessica, and your friends will stand behind you." Greyson said. "We aren't going _anywhere._ We got you."

* * *

Aubrey was standing in the kitchen, nursing a glass of wine, holding on to the counter when Beca walked in from work. Her mind was reeling, her baby sister was now a witness testifying in a case that could very well, derail the school the headmaster helped found. She was also somewhat shaking because _why_? Why was it so important for Chloe to at some point become the focus of this trial? Everyone of the parents at John Adams Preparatory Academy were _worried_ , rightfully so, of their children being a part of school that was now in the conversation of gun violence in the country.

"Hey love," Beca said getting Aubrey out of her head.

Aubrey turned around, "Hi baby." She said, kissing her fiancé.

"What's on your mind?" Beca asked, holding her love in a hug.

"The trial." She said, pulling back, stepping away a little. "They want Chloe to testify."

Beca's eyebrows shot to her hairline, "Really? Why?" She asked.

"She's the ex girlfriend that caused this shooting to happen," Aubrey said. "I think it's all Tom's lawyers to be honest."

Beca nodded as she went up to Aubrey and started rubbing her shoulders from behind, "And how do _you_ feel about that?" The music producer asked softly.

"Terrified." Aubrey said. "So _fucking_ terrified."

"Is Chloe going to do it?" Beca asked softly.

"I gave her the option and she wanted to think about it," Aubrey said. "I really don't want her to do it."

"Why?" Beca asked softly.

"It's not her fault that Tom was crazy enough to do what he did," Aubrey said. "I just want to protect her."

"Okay," Beca said. "What can _I_ do to help?"

Aubrey turned to her and buried her face into Beca's chest, "I don't know." She said. "Hold me?" She then asked.

"Of course, sweetheart." Beca murmured into her fiancé's hair and wrapped strong arms around her.

It was quiet for a moment, Beca swayed the two of them back and forth slowly. Aubrey had her face buried into Beca's chest still. Aubrey let out a sob into Beca's chest, "Why? Why is the world _so_ cruel?" She let out. "Chloe shouldn't have to suffer through this."

"We'll get her through it," Beca said. "All of us. We're all one big family now."

Aubrey nodded, "Right." She let out. "Right."

"You don't have to do this alone anymore," Beca said. "I don't want you to really. I want to be here for you. For Chloe. I want us all to just be a family."

"I love you, Beca." Aubrey said. "So much."

Beca kissed the top of her fiancé's forehead as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, "I love you too, love." She whispered as Greyson walked in the room with his keys.

"Oh, sorry." Greyson said, seeing that the couple was in an intimate moment.

"It's okay, love." Beca said. "You headed to the Walker's?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, if that's okay?" He then hesitantly asked.

Beca nodded, "I'm glad you're going over there." She said. "It's really sweet of you."

"Owen was my best friend." He said with a shrug. The was silence for a moment, "Oh and Chloe's down for the homecoming shopping thing tomorrow."

"Cool," Beca said as Aubrey looked at her funny. "What?" Aubrey continued to stare at her. "I take Greyson every year just like I did Emily." She said with a shrug, "So I thought that maybe, since we're all one big happy family, I could take Chloe too."

Aubrey let her head fall, "I just have never been able to take her and get her the dress she wants." The headmaster said.

"Well, I'll be sure that for homecoming and prom this year, I do that, okay?" Beca said. "I got this."

Greyson sensed the emotion in the room and shifted awkwardly. He started to think about how hard this must be for Aubrey. The headmaster that lost two students and a subordinate. Her little, _baby_ sister was going to testify in the trial because her ex boyfriend was the reason why everything was happening. The teenage boy saw how his mom pulled Aubrey in closer and he saw the look on the headmaster's face. The look of sheer terror, the look of just wanting everything to slow down for a minute and knowing that it isn't. He then knew he had to give the couple time and space, so that his mom could take care of his future stepmom.

"I- I'm gonna go," Greyson said. "Chloe's upstairs attempting to do homework and Emily said she's in the studio all night. I should be home around nine thirty."

"Okay love," Beca said as she let go of Aubrey for a minute to hug her son.

The mother and son hugged for a moment and he kissed her forehead as usual. Greyson then turned to Aubrey and did the same, but he hugged her a little longer. Tears dwelled in Beca's eyes when she saw the gesture. The music producer didn't know how her children were going to receive her being with the headmaster, but they both have welcomed both Aubrey and Chloe into their family like it was something they had always done and it made Beca's heart soar. The music producer then saw Greyson's take his letterman jacket from the back of the chair at the counter and slowly slip out of the room.

"You've raised some pretty great kids, Bec." Aubrey then said suddenly.

Beca was still looking in the direction that her son had just left and blindly pulled Aubrey back into her and kissed the top of the headmaster's head, "Yeah," she said, still looking in the direction, "yeah, I have."

* * *

Chloe was quiet during dinner, she'd been quiet a lot since the shooting, but even more so tonight. Both Aubrey and Beca sensed that the girl needed time to process. The redhead was pushing her food around the plate listening to Beca talk about how Emily's album was almost done and that how she'd be gone most of next year touring and that she and Benji were planning on getting married around Christmas time.

"Are you okay, love?" Aubrey then asked Chloe softly. Chloe had tuned out that she wasn't listening to what her sister was asking her, "Chlo? _Chloe._ "

"Hm?" The girl had snapped out of her head. "What?"

"I asked if you were okay." Aubrey said softly.

"Oh yeah, sorry." Chloe said. "Just thinking."

"What are you thinking about?" Beca asked softly.

Chloe looked up to see the genuine concern on Beca's face, she loved that the music producer cared a lot. Ever since the aftermath of the shooting, Beca always came in and checked in on the teenage girl. Sometimes even sitting with her in silence because Chloe didn't want to talk, but Beca wanted to be there. The redhead then looked over at Aubrey who had the same concern written on her face and had even grabbed Chloe's hand and was softly caressing it with her thumb. There was so much love and concern in the room, it was overwhelming for Chloe, the redhead began to cry.

Aubrey and Beca jumped into action immediately to try and comfort her. The headmaster gathered her baby sister in her arms, almost placing the redhead in her lap and Beca was on the other side, crouched down rubbing Chloe's arm.

"This is all my fault," Chloe got out. "If I would've just said yes to his homecoming request."

"Hey," Aubrey said, "no. It's not your fault that you said no. You are allowed to say it to _anyone_."

Chloe cried into Aubrey's chest and then suddenly the redhead felt her being shifted into Beca's arms and the music producer picked the girl up and moved her to the couch. The headmaster followed closed behind. The couple sandwiched the teenager between them and Chloe just cried. She cried for what seemed like forever before she got quiet. Finally she said, "I want to testify."

Aubrey and Beca looked at each other wide-eyed, "Are- are you sure?" The music producer asked.

"I need to give justice to those who survived and to the families who lost loved ones." Chloe said. "I need to find peace. I want to testify."

Aubrey kissed the top of Chloe's head, "Okay," the headmaster said, not agreeing with the decision.

Chloe felt the unsupportive vibe her sister was giving her, she was so angry that she let this happen in the first place. She began to spiral out of control.

* * *

A few days later, Emily walked into the Mitchell residence to chaos. It wasn't prominent when the musician walked in, but something felt off. It didn't feel like the home it was before chaos took place at John Adams Prep.

"Why does it even matter?" Emily heard Chloe practically yell at Aubrey when she walked into the kitchen.

"I care about you and want the best for you," Aubrey said calmly.

"No, you just want to protect me," Chloe yelled back. "Which isn't necessary because I'm not a _child_ anymore, Aubrey."

Emily's eyebrows shot up, the musician has never heard the redhead call the headmaster anything, but "Bree" or "sissy," using the headmaster's full name was a new development.

"Of course I'm going to protect you, Chlo." Aubrey said softly, clearly hurt by her sister using her full name and her yelling.

Emily walked into the kitchen where the yelling was taking place with wide eyes, Greyson and Beca saw her and immediately went wide eyed with her, they both knew that Emily doesn't do yelling very well, "Abort mission," Greyson said pushing Emily backwards and out of the kitchen, Beca stayed back to be of support to Aubrey. "Abort the fucking mission."

"What the hell is going on?" Emily asked.

"Chloe is spiraling," Greyson said, opening the front door. "Here let's go get dinner and I'll try to explain."

The two siblings got into Emily's car, Greyson sent Beca a text saying that they went to get dinner with an immediate response of thank you.

Emily was driving, "Is Chloe okay?" She asked.

Greyson shook his head, "The lawyers want her to testify, but Aubrey doesn't want her to. Chloe doesn't care and they're arguing about that."

"She still feeling guilty about the whole thing?" Emily asked.

"Yeah," Greyson said. "It's not even her fault though."

"I feel like as long as she's at that school, dealing with everyone, she's going to be beating herself up for it."

"Until she gets into some kind of therapy, she's going to be beating herself up for it." Greyson said. "It doesn't matter about the school."

Silence filled the car for a moment before Emily asked, "Do you want her to testify?"

Greyson nodded, "I want justice for Owen." He said. "And Sophia, and Mr. McPherson."

* * *

Back at the house, Aubrey was holding firmly onto the kitchen counter trying to keep her composure in check. Years of being an educator coming into play. Beca was standing near by when she got a text from Greyson.

 _Greyson: We're going to get dinner. Be back soon._

 _Beca: Thank you my love. I'll repay whoever pays for it later._

"Stop treating me like a child, Aubrey." Chloe said. "I'm about to be 18, I'd like to be treated like a goddamn adult."

"I'm not treating you like a child." Aubrey said softly. "I'm just trying to protect you. Tom's lawyers are going to eat you alive."

"So I'll prepare for that." Chloe said. "But, I want to give justice to those who we lost and those who are still recovering."

"That's not your job Chloe," Aubrey said firmly.

"I got John Adams Prep into this mess, I'm going to do my goddamn best to get us out of it." Chloe said. "I'm going to testify. I don't care if it's in front of the judge, jury, and court. I don't care if that exposes who I am. Greyson lost one of his best friends, so did the rest of Owen's friends. His family lost a family member. Sophia's friends lost a friend. Her family lost a family member. We all lost Mr. McPherson and so did his family and friends. All because I said no. So I'm going to testify, Aubrey. And if you don't like that, you can get used to it. You can't coddle me forever."

Chloe left the room and Aubrey let all the emotions she was feeling out. Beca saw her fiancé shaking and immediately wrapped her arms right around the headmaster. The music producer tried to keep the woman in her arms standing, but Beca ended up sitting on the kitchen floor, holding her love so tight while kissing the top of her head every so often and murmuring, "I got you love, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

That night Aubrey was lying on her back awake in the darkness. She began tossing and turning, she was emotionally exhausted from the afternoon of her sister yelling at her. She looked over and saw Beca sleeping peacefully. She thought about the moment that she knew that she was in love with this woman.

 _They had been dating for a few months. Beca had snuck Aubrey into the house. The headmaster had a pretty rough day and the music producer wanted to spoil her love with a romantic bath and some lovemaking. They had to be quiet though. Greyson was studying for midterms a few doors down._

 _The blonde leaned back into the bubble bath and the brunette was on the other side of the tub, rubbing Aubrey's feet._

 _"Mmmm," Aubrey said. "That feels so good."_

 _"Anything to take care of my love." Beca murmured back._

 _"I'm sorry that I want us to sneak around your kids and my sister right now." Aubrey said. "I just think Chloe and Greyson might be weirded out knowing that we're dating."_

 _"I understand baby." Beca said. "I think it's weird that I've actually never met Chloe before and she and Grey have been best friends for ages now."_

 _"Part of her knows that Greyson comes from wealth and she doesn't want that to cloud her judgement of him." Aubrey said. "The other part of her calls Greyson her school best friend. Sure when she needs him, he picks her up and they go for a drive, but she likes the way things are."_

 _Beca nodded thoughtfully as she continued to rub Aubrey's feet._

Aubrey shook her head out of that memory as she upped to her stomach, Beca rubbed her lower back still in her sleep, "You okay love?" Beca mumbled sleepily.

"Can't sleep," the headmaster said back. "I'm going to make myself some tea. Go back to sleep sweetheart."

"You sure?" Beca mumbled back.

Aubrey nodded sitting up, "Positive. I'll be right back." She said.

The headmaster kissed the music producer's forehead and then walked downstairs where she saw Greyson sitting at the kitchen counter studying still with a cup of tea himself.

"What are you doing up, love?" Aubrey asked the boy.

"Can't sleep." He said. "Trying to get into MIT and whatnot, so thought being productive would be helpful."

Aubrey put the tea kettle on the stove and waited for it to heat up again, "How are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm okay." He said. "I miss Owen, but I'm okay." Pause. "How are _you_ doing?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, challenging her to lie to him.

"I'm not okay." She said. "I don't want Chloe to testify."

"Why not?" Greyson asked.

"It's not her fault like Tom's lawyers are making it out to be and I just want to protect her."

"Chloe can protect herself." Greyson said. "She's strong enough."

"Is she though?" Aubrey breathed out. "She's my baby sister. I'm always going to want to protect her."

"Don't you think we need justice for what Tom did to our John Adams Prep family?" Greyson asked softly as Aubrey poured hot water into a cup with a tea bag.

"I do, but-"

"But nothing," Greyson said. "If she wants to testify, then _let her testify._ She's a big girl now, Bree."

Aubrey smiled. The boy has been calling her that a lot lately and it makes her heart flutter every time he does.

She shrugged, "She's always going to be that little girl my mom placed in my arms when she was first born." The headmaster said.

"She wants to do it." The boy said. "She wants to give justice. That she be an honorable thing."

"I just don't want her to get hurt." Aubrey said sitting across from him.

"None of us do, but like I said, she's a big girl," he said. "And we'll be there to help her 100% of the way."

Aubrey smiled at her soon-to-be stepson, she knew he was right, but she still was afraid of Chloe testifying.

* * *

The next morning Aubrey walked into Chloe's room, it was Saturday and the headmaster saw that her sister was studying for her chemistry class. She cleared her throat. Chloe turned around to look at her sister, "You're always going to be that little girl that mom placed in my arms that first time. And I'm not sorry for that. But you were right, you're old enough to make your own decisions. And while I don't agree with this one. I will support you in it."

Chloe got up and hugged Aubrey tightly, "I'm sorry for yelling at you." She murmured.

Aubrey kissed the top of her sister's head as a gesture of saying _all is forgiven._

* * *

 **End note:** I'm going to finish this story. I promise. Next few chapters are going to be much lighter. Leading up to both the Mitchsen and Emily/Benji weddings. Then some angsty trial chapters. Them more fluff as we head into graduation time for Chloe and Greyson. Then the story will end.


End file.
